


When You Think Of Me, Wave To Me And Send Me A Song

by InsomniaMagic



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Curses, Fantasy, Hinata Mention, M/M, Magic, Magical Realism, One Shot, akaashi keiji mention - Freeform, daichi sawamura - little bit at the beginning, kozume kenma mention, metallic colors, pearls and branches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 01:24:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13583055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniaMagic/pseuds/InsomniaMagic
Summary: Four men, two different curses, one fated (or not) meeting.One cave, one battlefield, one ship and one island.Five meetings in total, one daydreamer and man without sleep, only nightmares.Twenty years.And a hundred years more accompanied by songs and shackles of past mistakes.The rain was unwilling to stop. They sat down in silence as they listened to the music of the drops. Bokuto stirred a little, getting closer to Kuroo, moving one of his arms over him.“It´s not cold,” Kuroo whispered. “It´s raining, but it´s not cold.”“I know,” Bokuto agreed into Kuroo´s skin, his breath warm.“Okay.” Kuroo grabbed him tightly as the most valuable treasure of this world.The last time someone touched him wasn´t this pleasant. Soft and careful, like he was a cracked glass close to splintering. He was held like a child on the verge of tears, reassured by the warm skin soughing - it will be okay. You will be okay.





	When You Think Of Me, Wave To Me And Send Me A Song

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to have 5000 words. Welp, it doesn´t. I poured my soul into this. I have no idea how it turned out in the end, but I hope you´ll enjoy. 
> 
> (The story starts written in present tense, the rest is in written in past).

 

**1st part – the thief and the warrior**

 

**1**

 

This is the end. He knows it as he runs, searching for his crew.

It´s over.

At the beginning, everything sailed smoothly. Every part of the plan was bulletproof and carried out perfectly. It´s the last point betraying them right now.

Almost there, just a bit further, then run again. He reaches for the coin, hears the screams of his crew mate. He can´t help him right now. His suffering is happening for the captain to win, to get the most cherished treasure.

The hair falls down into his face, making him anxious and nervous. He is getting disheartened, pulling his hand away from the coin. No, he has to do it.

More screams.

“You think you can try to steal from me without any consequences?” Asks the man, the devil, the death itself.

He turns, looking straight into the face of a redheaded man standing straight, calm and collected. The king of the underworld, the king of the damned, dressed in a long silver coat baring his shoulders, covered in thin necklaces of dark purple metal and white jewels. Their reflection the only source of light in this mass of nothing. His crimson hair stands up like flames frozen in the strong wind.

“You think you can disrupt this sacred place? Place for keeping dead being dead, without some kind of punishment? I think you heard your comrade pretty well, didn´t you?”

Tendou Satori. He knows the name, everybody knew it.

“I want my friend back. With that coin, I can do it.”

“You can, but you don´t want to. Trust me.”

Deeply buried cave gets darker. The Devil´s home full of stones is darker than the coal and sharper than the knife, void of any life. “How can you live here?”

Tendou laughs, quickly cutting off, his moves smooth like a snake, sharp eyes of an eagle and hands elegant, gestures swan-like. “Mere mortal can´t understand. I am a gatekeeper, I am a master. Dead stay dead, my dear.” Tendou moves and sits on a throne of the same darkness as the rest of this place. He remains in the shadows, hidden by the invisible flames.

“Will you torture me and kill me like you did with my friends?” He knows his fate. There is no turning back.

Tendou rests his chin onto long skeleton thin fingers, intertwined together. “Who says I killed them?”

“Then who did?”

“Who says they are dead?”

“Aargh!” Thief growls, impatient.

“We let them go, but you have to bear all of their sins. And yours, of course.” Tendou straightens up as he taps the throne with one long fingernail, dyed in obsidian. Quiet. “It´s simple,” Tendou says quickly with a heavy sighs. “You either die or bear the curse I put on you. You are stupid and you have to pay for your stupidity. Don´t worry, I know you, rebel of the death. This is not your first time here.”

Man bows his head, accepting the defeat. “I will take the curse.”

“Good.” Tendou smiles widely.

 

 

_“Don´t you think you were too harsh with this curse?” The right hand man of Tendou Satori asks, voice deep and gravely._

_Tendou waves the hand and jumps up from the throne. “Nah. He will figure it out, Wakatoshi.” Their gazes meet, Ushijima Wakatoshi with one raised eyebrow._

_His boss laughs again. “He might be silly, but his heart - that will lead him there. If not, I will welcome him with open arms.” Tendou takes Ushijima by his elbow. “Let´s go, we have other souls to greet and other intruders to stop.”_

 

**2**

 

Singing of the smooth, sharp, almost silent voice cuts through the fighting armies like a sword in his hand, killing the enemies one by one. He goes without any hesitation, not even guilt afterwards.

The noble blood in him pulses with a heartbreak and rage as he runs through the dead bodies. He turns around, ready to take any blow, still singing like it´s a battle cry or enchantment to fool the enemies.

This royal is ready to die.

“Not today!” His cousin Tooru screams, grabs him by the shoulders and pushes him away from the battlefield. “You can´t do this to me!” He knows why his cousin, the future king came.

Oikawa Tooru is a soldier, soon to be the general of the winning troupe.

“Stay back!” screams Tooru´s colonel and his brother, Sawamura Daichi. “We got this! Help the injured!” Tooru nods and does exactly as said, not caring about their official statuses and who should command who.

His younger cousin turns to him, red in the face. “Why did you save me? You know what I want.”

Tooru shakes his head. “This fight is almost over.”

“And I am still alive.”

“And selfish.”

“You know what I want,” he growls through the gritted teeth.

“Of course I do. I can´t let you die. You have no right to curse yourself over your heartbreak. He doesn’t love you. If he does, it´s obviously not enough. Love on its own never is.” Oikawa gets back to his army, talking to Sawamura about the following commands.

Skies change from twilight into the night and the last survivor stops breathing. Tooru turns to Daichi, gesturing for him to come forward. “Let´s go home.”

No argument comes from the cousin, he saves it for later. His mind is occupied with so many thoughts and wishes, he doesn’t have any energy to argue. Even the fight itself is not enough to make him forget, or to scar him from the horrific sighs he endured.

 

 

They fought many wars together, but this one marks the first time the crowned prince joined with one thought in his mind. To take away the pain, to let his life flow away. “If I could fight, then I wouldn´t have to think so much. I wouldn´t have to feel at all-”

Tooru chuckles. “That´s where you are very, very wrong.”

“I know.” His cousin slows down. “You´d be a great ruler. Vain one, but great.”

“I know,” Tooru agrees dreamily. “Don´t leave me.”

“I won´t,” he promises, knowing he won´t be able to keep it.

 

 

He tries, day by day, night by night.

And as he walks by the rivers and lakes, his feet never stopping, following the path of nothing, he falls down to his knees, pleading.

“Why am I capable to love this much and hurt even more?” He asks the coarseness of the sand by the sea, bearing no reflection. “Why-” He thinks of his cousin, of the lost promises.

“I want it to stop.” The water comes and caresses him. “They don´t deserve this. I don´t. Take me away.”

Unknown whisper echoes, the waves embrace him. “As you wish.”

The noble man has no idea about the curse he set upon himself, or about a remorse he set upon his cousins.

 

 

But this story is not about the heartache. It is about the desperation, about love and the curses and falling for this life again.

 

**2nd part - the curse of a forever sailor and a noble blood**

 

**3**

 

The ship sailed towards the land, finally. He arrived with high hopes for the residents of this far away island. All the visits before, sixteen of them, were not usually very pleasant. It seemed to be different this time, although he had no idea why he felt that way. Maybe he really found the Promised Land, or the clue pointing him towards it, at least.

His hopes fell back to the landscape after he anchored the ship and swam close to the ground. A frown spread over his face, the quiet made him uncomfortable. He stared up, unsure about the weather. It wasn´t warm, it wasn´t cold, just the right temperature under the clear, sunny skies.

Shouldn´t it be warmer?

His field of vision was too narrow. This man didn´t care about any scenery, only people who might inhabit the area. “If I stumbled upon some sacred space again, I am done with this.” The memories flooded his mind with the attack from five years ago. It tarnished the seven days of freedom he was allowed to have.

He found the courage to walk among the trees never seen before. Curiosity bubbled up in him as he gazed upon the golden and silver branches made of wood. Is he allowed to touch it? No, he didn´t dare to do that, yet.

What was this place?

Emptiness surrounded him. Did he really just waste the one week of liberation on this godforsaken place? How come there was nobody here? He came to rest a bit, willing to cling to anyone who would let him. Or not let him, he was too tired to care for now.

“Hell-“

Then it happened.

Something or someone sly and nimble jumped down on his back, tackling him to the ground and locking him between the thighs and arms. “Interesting turn of events,” The tall, half naked muscular man grinned proudly.

“Indeed it is.”

 

**4**

 

The visitor was getting too close. He knew what it meant. This pattern happened before, long time in the past. Back then, he wasn´t equipped to guard himself. His heart sunk at the memory from twenty-six years ago, the only real date he could remember. History was not going to repeat. The ship wasn´t moving anymore, which meant only one thing. The time to hide has come.

He climbed the jeweled tree handily like a cat, hiding between the branches of gold in silence. There was one man getting off the ship, examining the place, his face turning right and left so fast, he had to be dizzy a bit.

“If he tries to destroy my home-” the man in the tree thought as his heart raced with the adrenaline of the upcoming, fateful encounter. The island was his sacred place for the last hundred, maybe two hundred years already and this man wasn´t allowed to simply walk in and not expect any ramifications.

So he waited and waited as the sailor got closer. Almost there under the tree and then he jumped with all his might, unwilling to let go. Unfortunately, the victim was as strong as the attacker.

“What do you want?” Inhabitant asked as he was pushed away, his grin fading quickly. He jumped up, prepared to fight again.

Owner of the ship moved his hands upwards, showing their emptiness. “I don´t want to hurt you.” They spoke the same language, different dialect. At least that made the communication easier.

“Good for you, but that wasn´t my question.” They stared at each other, one with an innocence and begging in the face, the other with fire and fight in the eyes. “What do you want? How did you find this place? Who are you?”

The sailor frowned and pursed his lips. “You are the one who attacked. I should be the one who is angry.”

“Then why aren´t you?” He moved to the side, bracing for the fight.

“Because I don´t have that much time to waste it on this silliness!”

“What if I wanted to kill you? Or eat you? You should-“

“Are you going to?” The sailor rested arms on his hips, stubborn as hell. “Hurt me or eat me?”

“No. Of course not are you crazy?”

“Then we are done here.” They haven´t moved.

Inhabitant sighed. “You should leave.”

“That´s the problem. I can´t.” Sailor mirrored the sigh of his attacker. “Please. One week.” He moved the right hand up, one finger raised. “Only a week to stay and to find something. I swear I don´t want to do anything to you. Actually, I am eternally thankful I found another human being, because, to answer your question _, I am_ going crazy.”

“I noticed.”

That didn´t deserve any reaction, obviously. “One week. I won´t get in your way.”

“Yes, of course you won´t.” Like hell he was going to believe this man as persistent as a mule.

“Are you being sarcastic? I can´t tell,” the captain of the ship pouted. “Come on! If there are more people like you, I am done!”

“I am the only occupant of this island. Now, let me be, leave. I don´t trust you.” He moved, his upper body covered in drops of sweat shining like pearls on top of the soft, light fabric to be used for dressmaking. Red trousers was the only piece of clothing he wore.

Intruders´ body didn´t move, it was his eyes which followed the view in front of him. “I told you, I can´t leave. I need to find- Well, I am not sure, so I need to look. And-”

“And as I told you, fine by me. Look around, but don´t bother me. If you try to hurt me, I won´t hesitate to kill you.” He left, leaving the stranger all alone.

“Hey, what´s your name? I am Bokuto Koutaro, nice to meet-”

No answer came, only chuckle and dismissive wave of the hand.

 

**5**

 

He tried, hungry for a bit of social interaction. It wasn´t going well, but whatever, he wasn´t going to give up that easily. Bokuto pouted as his stomach grumbled. “Great,” he murmured, disheartened. Before he could start his journey through the very small island, he plopped to the ground, tired and in need of some energy. Were there any animals? He thought he heard birds, but as he looked up, nothing.

Then there had to be fruit or nuts, right? Nope, nada.

Annoyance floated though him, limbs trembling with fatigue. When on the ship, everything is different. When on the ship, the curse is doing its thing – human needs mean nothing when on board. Bokuto made his way back to the beach he landed at. Never in the past eighty years had he wished to be back on deck, the one week on the soil, no rocking back and forth all the time could be damned.

His unwelcoming host stood at the same beach, playing with fire, chewing. Bokuto´s eyes widened and breath quickened. “Food,” he whispered in a low voice.

But the food wasn´t what caught his view. The sole survivor of this island was very pretty, in an unconventional way. His sharp features were as acute as his voice, eyes thin, somewhat sad looking. Like they lost all the hope in the world they once bared on its shoulders.

Bokuto wanted to touch his hair, to make sure those strands were real. The way they stood up was very different from his own. It reminded him of strong, dying wires. He chuckled. They reminded him of a rooster he once tried and failed to catch. Their deep ebony color was as thick as the darkness of the cave Bokuto visited once. Lost memory of the long time ago, but the only memory that stayed with him throughout the years.

When watching him, he thought of crystals and chandeliers, the beauty you don´t notice right away, but it is there and you have to look up to see properly. Bokuto shook his head, staring at the every action this lone survivor did, like it was nothing. Just like _he_ did it for eternity.

He chopped some wood, followed by tree climbing where he gathered fruit, then he disappeared in the forest and came back with fresh water. Later, he walked towards the sea, careful not to touch it with bare skin, picking up seashells, gazing ahead longingly. Bokuto was smiling, no idea why. It was just like his own routines on the ship. That was the precise reason for being unhappy, but there he was. Feeling connected to someone with the similar predicament.

If he was mistaken, then be it. For this time, he wasn´t alone and that was all that mattered.

The resider noticed him, his body lit up by the fire, flames getting higher and higher. Bokuto gulped loudly, entranced by his aura, not the body. It was the gaze that took him in. All of him, like a sculpture or a painting that came to life.

Never in his life had Bokuto noticed things like that, not even in the last years spent almost entirely on that goddamned ship. “Um-” Bokuto finally opened his mouth.

“I asked you something before, didn´t I?” He closed his eyes and waited a while to open them. Bokuto was taken aback, did he just tremble? “Leave me alone.” Then he added, whispering in a belief the sailor couldn´t hear it. “I am no good.” Flames reflected in his hazel eyes. “Your intentions might not be good.” Bokuto heard it and Bokuto saw it. That flicker flashing through a man´s eyes. Whatever it was, he wished for it to drown and never resurface.

“I have good ears, you know?” Bokuto raised his voice. “And I don´t care. Why are you so bad to me?” He whimpered like a child and he couldn´t care less. “I am tired, I am alone, you don´t know me, but you treat me like a dirt. The only weapon I have is this knife, look, here.” He threw it on the ground, close to the man´s feet. Bokuto was going to continue, when he put hands on his belly, followed by the loud growl. “I need to eat-”

There it was, another war of stares. Who was going to flinch first?

Just like that, Bokuto got hit hard by a half opened coconut. “Thank you!” Bokuto yelled excitedly. “Um, who am I thanking to?”

There was a long silence of contemplation, when the man gave up. “Kuroo.” Frown changed into a grin. “You have no manners when it comes to communicating with people, you know that? Are you always like this? Not giving up when you want something, even though it´s stupid?”

“Please. If you would refuse me after everything I just said, I´d dig up a hole and hid in it until the end of the week. Also, I don´t think you are the one to speak about manners.”

“Pche. Your crew must be very happy to have you there. Don´t tell me you are the captain of that thing?”

“Of course I am.” Bokuto answered with a half filled mouth. “I don´t have a crew.”

“Eh?” Kuroo looked around, confused. He motioned towards the ship. “Excuse me?” His other hand pointed to the land.

“You are excused,” Bokuto countered, then stopped chewing. “Your arms.” Kuroo put them back to his sides, but Bokuto couldn´t stop staring, admiring. His right arm was covered in long dark branches trailing from the fingertips towards the shoulder, dissolving into his collarbones. Those branches were nowhere else besides the hips, disappearing right at the top of his shorts. “If I was living alone here, I would embrace my nakedness!” Bokuto admitted, trying hard to stare somewhere else. Was this really the conversation he chose to steer to? Good Lord, Koutaro, he lectured himself.

Kuroo laughed shortly, Bokuto´s eyes opened wide at the sound reminding him of a  dying animal. “I can´t welcome my visitors naked, can I?”

“I would.”

“I bet you would.”

Was he sarcastic again?

 

**6**

 

It was Kuroo´s turn to stare in bewilderment. He didn´t want to, but the more he listened to the gibberish, the more intrigued he got. How did this man survive life on his own? When it came to physique, he was well built, spending most of his time on the ship training, probably. First feature getting his attention were the broad shoulders and strong arms. Second feature were yellow eyes emanating kindness, which might have been deceptive. Kuroo didn´t care. He liked those eyes even if he didn’t trust them, yet. Then there was the hair. Silver and black, like shadows of twilight mixing with the first signs of the upcoming night, peaking in, never enough to mingle together like a midnight and the moon. Then the scent came to him, bit of rust, a drop of blood rolling on his tongue and cocoa, surprisingly.

Interesting. For Kuroo, the appearance was important, it said a lot about someone´s job, purpose and personality. This appearance, unfortunately, left a lot of choices open. Was he a pirate? Businessman on a sail to settle another job? Was he a thief, but not a pirate? Kuroo was unable to decide if he came to hurt him, in the end or not. “Where is the rest of your crew?”

“In front of you.”

He wanted to ask him many questions, but of course he spit out the weirdest one: “If you are the whole crew, then why aren´t you naked?”

“I didn´t know the climate. And-” Bokuto got quiet when Kuroo laughed again, this time full throttle, scaring Bokuto away. “Hey, hey, hey, stop that! Don´t make fun of me.”

Kuroo shook his head. “Sorry, it is too easy with you! But, if you´d like to know, it´s a shame.”

“Shame?” Bokuto murmured. “What is a shame? I don´t get it, I-” Kuroo looked him up and down. “Oh-”

Kuroo sat by the fire, day coming slowly to its finish line. Bokuto reluctantly joined him. “You can come closer,” Kuroo invited him and Bokuto didn´t hesitate. “To the fire, not me.” Bokuto nodded and the questioning continued. “What brings you here? Are you here to steal? I have nothing. And how is it possible to be alone on that big ass ship?”

“So many questions,” Bokuto mumbled with his head rested on the knees.

“You have to answer them. You are in my home and I am not letting you in unless I learn about you as much as I can. Otherwise, you go or get killed. Didn´t you hear me before?” Kuroo shut up, Bokuto glared directly at his face, body slumped. Kuroo jolted him. “Why are you so down suddenly? You couldn´t possibly expect not to be asked these things, right?”

“I was, but this is more of an interrogation than anything else.” Bokuto scratched his neck. “I am a thief, but I am not here to steal.” He answered as he moved to play with the sand. “Also, I don´t steal just for fun. I didn´t steal just for fun,” he corrected himself.

Kuroo didn´t bother him anymore. There was no way this man has a quiet bone in his body, which meant he needed to wait a bit longer.

“I watched you for a while.” Bokuto crossed his legs and gazed towards the hiding sun. “You are well versed here.”

“Yeah.” Kuroo´s stare turned to the same scenery. “This happens when you live somewhere for over hundred years.”

And as the night fell, three moons rose and the smell of sandalwood encompassed their space, filling them through the togetherness and expectations of better morning.

Two strangers met by a chance, two strangers met by a workings of fate, two strangers met because of the decisions they once made. Whatever the choice, the future is set for them to move forward, to move ahead.

 

**7**

 

Bokuto was eager to learn more about him. It was hours they spent with each other´s company, two strangers on the equal footing. For Bokuto, the most important was the absent loneliness. He had enough of solitary for many lifetimes. There was no chance he wouldn´t grasp this, whatever it was. Bokuto shrugged and opened up, not hiding anything.

“I was cursed,” he said, instead of asking about those hundred years Kuroo mentioned. He wouldn´t answer anyway and he held a knife. “I was cursed,” he repeated as his eyelids folded, remembering his dying friend. The only real memory of emotions left.

“Cursed?” Kuroo asked in disbelief. “With bad hair?”

Bokuto threw a handful of sand at him. “You are the one to talk.”

Kuroo got silent, nodding. “Yeah, you are right.” Before Bokuto could continue, he got hit by the sand too. “Revenge.” They stared long enough to understand this was a challenge with no winners. “Sorry, go on. Curse.”

“I tried to bring my friend back from the dead. I almost got the coin that would let me exchange it for his life. I got caught. There were only two choices and I made the wrong one, I guess.” Bokuto rested chin on his knees as fingers spelled one name – Akaashi. “I have to sail the seas for a hundred years with only one week on shore, every five years. If I don´t want to be stuck like this forever, I need to find the Promised Land as he called it. The treasure of unknown value.” His fingers stopped the motion and he looked behind at the trees, unsure by the sounds of non-existent animals and flowers of pastel colors. “This is the first time I got close to any clue. It should be somewhere around here.” Bokuto´s eyes filled with tears. “I already wasted one precious day.”

He expected to be interrupted with every sentence he said, but Kuroo observed, carefully and sympathetically. “Have you noticed something? Found something that might be out of the ordinary?” The glimpse of hope shot through him as the falling star. He made a silent wish soon to be forgotten.

Kuroo shrugged. “No.” He leaned down to his elbows, wiggling his feet, seemingly resting the guard down. Bokuto knew better. “How do you know time is up? Do you have special watch? Do you pay attention to the exchanges of the sun and the moons?”

“Yes and no. Yes, to make sure, no, because I feel it. The closer the week is to its end, the more I am pulled towards the ship. What about you?” Bokuto didn´t expect any answer.

What he got was a pleasant surprise.

 

**8**

Maybe they weren´t so different after all. When Bokuto spoke, Kuroo understood why he didn´t want to give up on a stranger. It was the connection of banes set upon their heads, spiraling them downwards with the same sorrows on their backs. They both needed the company, needed to speak to someone who would know and who´d want to know.

“I can´t leave this place. This,” Kuroo motioned at the surroundings crouched under the heavy darkness, “is my curse.” Kuroo thought hard, then he took a glance at Bokuto. He was enchanted by the earnestness in his eyes as they stared at the sky.

Damn this strong-headed man.

“I have to be here forever, on this island. Unable to move further.”

Bokuto tapped his feet impatiently, wanting to know more. “How do you know how far can you go? Can you go into the sea?”

“Yes, the sweet one.” Kuroo didn´t elaborate.

“Sweet?” Bokuto got up and tested the water. “Eh, phew!” He yelled at the salt stinging his mouth.

Kuroo threw his arms in the air. “Are you crazy? It´s on the other side!”

“You should have told me!”

“I had no idea you would do that!” Kuroo let his head fall to the ground, his hair blending with pieces of sand and shells like a mermaid. How he would love to be a mermaid. “Maybe I should have known you´d do that. You obviously trust me, who knows why.”

Bokuto peered down on him, his raggedy brown coat flowing in the wind, showing a bit of white shirt and black pants under it. “I don´t have a reason not to trust you. Do you have a reason not to trust me?”

Kuroo´s eyes flashed with a hint of regret and anger, then the pity pushed them out.

The answer was not coming. Bokuto stood firm, the voice as strong as his resolve to find what he came for. “Have you ever tried to leave?”

“Yes.” I can feel it too, he added to himself only. Bokuto´s heavy frame lay down by his side, close enough to touch, but not close enough to invade Kuroo´s personal space. “If we are both telling the truth, do you realize our loved ones are dead? All of them?”

“Excuse me?” Bokuto´s voice raised up in a shriek. “Why-“ He choked on the tears sliding down his face in a waterfall. Kuroo opened his mouth, eyes wide.

“How did you end up here? Who cursed you?” Bokuto spit out, hurting. He knew they were gone, there was no need to remind him.

“No.” Kuroo got up in a matter of seconds, like a lightning cutting the skies in half in the middle of the thunderstorm. With that, he left Bokuto on his own.  

 

**9**

 

Bokuto wasn´t scared of gloom, he was scared of loneliness. The years spend on the ship weren´t kind to him. He had no one to talk to, only one little grey owl that liked to visit him from time to time, anywhere he went.

The owl was not here, not today. No animal was. With that in mind, he decided to take a walk, maybe follow this man to his shelter. Where was he sleeping? Bokuto was curious, but surprisingly calm.

He turned to the trees and the path leading deeper into the small island. As he watched the sky, the sea and the mainland, his thoughts conjured a snow globe. His new friend Kuroo was part of the beautiful, painful and sorrowed snow globe.

Kuroo was like a snow globe, stuck inside of a fake paradise.  

While walking around mindlessly, looking for the place to rest, Bokuto noticed things he never cared for before. It was the smells that hit him first, heaviness of the cedar woods and something else he couldn´t name. Further, between the floras, the smell of lilac and lavender gathered, their roots and flowers nowhere to be seen.

They fused with scents of the lemons, compelling him to follow. They led him to the shelter, built out of branches painted with metals, covered with leaves of rainbow colors and cedar scented wood. Bokuto smiled. Lilac and lemons weren´t scents of the island, but of Kuroo himself.

Kuroo slept close to the edge, one hand on a knife. His chest moved in a slow and rhythmic motion, calming Bokuto down. Another human being. He met many of those in the past weeks spent on the land, only two encounters pleasant and kind. “This is so nice,” Bokuto whispered to himself. “I would like to stay.”

Bokuto was in a need of a friend, even though the last one left him in the misery and grieve with no end in sight. Bokuto´s smile turned upside down. This shelter is not his place. Kuroo sent him away so he has to respect those wishes.

As he turned to leave, the small sharp voice stopped him. “You can stay.”

“Why?” Bokuto worried. “You don´t trust me.”

Without opening his eyes, Kuroo shrugged. “You asked. Nicely.”

Bokuto´s heart slowed its beat in sadness. Kuroo had to be very lonely too.

 

**10**

 

The sunrise arrived, tangled up in the morning dew and a barricade of white mist spilled all over like a milk. Kuroo got up with the first sunlight to do some yoga, followed by breakfast of roasted nuts and squeezed fruit juice. He remembered his companion, glanced at him, curled up, giggling in his sleep. “Food for two,” he mumbled, questioning himself - why did he take the pity on him? Misery loves company, right?

Kuroo realized he was naked. Quickly, he put on red shorts, sat by the waves and peeled the bananas and oranges, with walnuts and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. “This won´t be enough for that beef of a man,” Kuroo mumbled, frowning at the food. “Whatever,” he added, angry at himself for helping the stranger nonetheless.

The quiet of the calm morning ducked down under the blow from Bokuto´s awakening. He jogged to the beach, the breakfast ready. “You did this for me? Thank you so much, you are the best!” He squealed with fists pumping in the air. Bokuto moved dangerously close to Kuroo, arms opened with indication of a hug. There was no time to dodge him. Kuroo waited patiently for Bokuto to let him go. It took almost two minutes before any of them moved. Kuroo was tense, but he didn´t stop it.

It felt right.

Bokuto let go and ate, Kuroo watched him cautiously. “You know,” Bokuto spoke, chewing. “You act like this terrifying entity of a warrior ready to kill, but honestly, you are so soft it almost hurts. I like you.”

“Wha-“

“And,” Bokuto was obviously nowhere at the end of his weird speech. “We could be good friends if you let me, you know? And one more thing.”

“Are sure it´s just one?” Kuroo whispered.

“I would like to help you with food and stuff. Don´t get me wrong, I like to be pampered, but you seem like a guy who would kick my ass to the moon number two if I lived off of your hospitality. Cold hospitality, but hospitality and-“ Bokuto´s monologue was slapped to the ground by Kuroo´s laugh. Bokuto was dumbfounded, he expected to be told off. “Are you laughing at me?” his voice was low.

Kuroo bended over. “You are weird. Damn, if you came to kill me, that´s too bad because I think I like you too.”

“There is that connection, you know?” Bokuto raised his brows and put hands on his hips with the chest puffed out.

“What connection?” Kuroo calmed down.

“Like we were meant to meet?”

Kuroo shook his head. “Yeah, of course.” Kuroo didn´t argue. There was something about this man, something more and alluring. “Just don´t kill me.”

“Could I kill you? We are both cursed, sooo-”

“I think you could,” Kuroo answered coldly. This wasn´t a topic for discussion. “Talk a bit more.” While Bokuto babbled, Kuroo led him closer to the sweet tasting sea where he washed himself.

“Are there any animals? I could hear them, but I swear, I am either blind or they are great hide and seek players.”

Kuroo cleaned his face with vigor. “No. There is none.” He straightened, wet from head to toe and shifted. “Yes, you hear them. It´s not animals.”

Bokuto took a step back, then he noticed the trees hover over him. He stepped closer to Kuroo, using him as a shield. “Then what it is?” Bokuto whispered.

“Oblivion. The island. Echoes of past lives. Nothing dangerous,” Kuroo answered and slowly raised his hand to move Bokuto away.

“Uh, sorry.” Bokuto stopped touching him. “No, I am all wet now! Ooh, but you are right, it´s sweet!”

Kuroo grabbed him quickly. “Don´t drink it.”

“Why?”

“Come on,” Kuroo pulled him away, smiling. There was something awaking inside of him, feelings long gone. It was the light of happiness that decided to visit him once more, after so many years of pained solitude.

 

**11**

 

Bokuto watched him for another round of yoga. The moves seemed to be simple, good for clearing of the mind. He licked his lips and copied the pose. “Yep, nope.” Bokuto lasted ten minutes, barely, when Kuroo came to him.

“I thought the rules were simple. If you won´t irritate me, I will let you roam around freely.” Kuroo´s chest heaved up and down, sweat trickling down to the hips.

“I like how you move. I thought it might do me well, but I can´t. This, whatever it is, is tough!”

Kuroo had to stifle the laughs exploding inside of him. “Do not interrupt my meditations, please.”

“Gotcha´.” Bokuto didn´t hear, how unpromising he sounded. The dusk lowered on them unbelievably fast, which made Bokuto ask second round of questions.

“That´s how it is here.” Kuroo dressed himself in wet shorts after he washed them in the sweet sea water. “Day and night, weather, nothing is consistent and everything is consistent.”

Bokuto scrunched his face, opened his mouth and tried to understand. No luck. “What? I don´t get it. How can it be-”

“You´ll see.” With that, Kuroo disappeared among the woods like a ghost.

“Wait for me!” Bokuto yelled, sticking his hand out.

“I need to pee, man!” Kuroo yelled back.

Shadows of sunset descended into the night pierced by three moonlights and a couple of freckles in the form of stars sprinkled through the skies. Bokuto thought about leaving as soon as the curse would let him. He liked this place, it had its charms. Even though Kuroo let him in a bit, the man was still alone.

He gazed at the stars, unsure of the time. Then he smelled it, the strong aroma of orange. Bokuto got up and traced the source of the scent. One of the golden trees was blooming with small orange petals. He wanted to touch them, to try if they tasted like the fruit itself. At that moment, his mind conjured a picture of Kuroo with hands on his hips and the warning on his lips. Bokuto digressed and yawned.

Now was the time to sleep. He traced his way back to Kuroo´s shelter, getting lost a couple of times, when he finally got there. The smell of lilac and lemon was strong in here. Kuroo had to love lemons so much, they became a part of him.

Bokuto chuckled at his own not so funny joke, when Kuroo stirred and said something. Bokuto was ready for scolding, which wasn´t the case. He reached for the blanket of pastel colors. As he put it over himself, he noticed many more knitted things and pieces of clothing. Was it Kuroo´s doing? If it was, then bravo. Before he could examine them more, Kuroo sniffed.

His new friend slept deeply, but painfully. Whatever he dreamt about wasn´t pleasant. Bokuro knelt by his side, questioning if he should wake him up.

Kuroo moved again, turning from his stomach onto the back. There were tears running down his face, whole body shaking. The nightmares were consuming him. Bokuto noticed his uneasy sleep the night before, he had no idea it could get this bad. He had no idea it occurred this often.

There was no way he would let him suffer like this. He reached for him, touched his chest gently. Kuroo stopped moving, his breath calming down, tears drying slowly, Bokuto´s touch helping.

“Thank God,” Bokuto murmured, glad there was no need to wake him. Slowly, he pulled his arm away and Kuroo moaned something. “What should I do?” The moment Bokuto caressed him again, tranquility came back.

He made a decision to lay down close to his new friend, ready to take any consequence that would come of it in the morning.

 

**12**

 

Kuroo woke up under the heavy frame weighing down on his whole body. He was hugged by someone´s arm and leg. The confusion startled him. What was happening? Before he could finish the question in his head, he remembered the captain and shrieked like a banshee. “Am I your pillow?” Kuroo tried to shake Bokuto off. Nothing could disturb his sleep, not even a splash of water or tickling with the piece of grass. “Fine,” Kuroo mumbled and pushed himself out of his embrace, miraculously.

As he watched the man rest soundly, his mind came back to the night. He had no idea when Bokuto lay next to him. It wasn´t that hard to understand why he stayed so close.

His nightmares got loud again. Bokuto seemed like a man who would try to do everything in his power to help. Kuroo sighed as sadness formed in his mouth. He shouldn´t try. Not with Kuroo. The loner got choked with doubts. How was Bokuto so comfortable around him? What was it about Kuroo that made him to want to stay? It couldn´t be just the solitude. Feeling like that couldn´t be enough to fight for someone who wasn´t willing to fight back. Kuroo knew too well, it´s a lost cause.

What if he was mistaken? What if Bokuto was exactly like that. Willing to fight if he saw even a glimpse of anything worth fighting for. Kuroo slapped his own face to get out of the stupid funk. He had to endure it for a couple of days and then, goodbye.

 

The day progressed, Kuroo deep in his daily routine. Bokuto jogged and jumped and sang around him like a child begging for attention. Kuroo wanted to be annoyed with him, but couldn´t. Since this morning, he was fascinated by him even more. This man was cursed with the terrible life of loneliness, still able to maintain the happiness, hopes and dreams.

Afterwards, with Kuroo paying him no attention, Bokuto warned: “I am letting you off the hook, only for a while. I have some business to attend to.” Kuroo exhaled, too close to cackling alongside Bokuto.

As it turned out, the business to attend was a workout in form of pushups and pull ups, using the tree branches. “Why do you even bother with that?” Kuroo asked later.

“Why do you?” Bokuto countered with a question aiming at yoga Kuroo has done every day.

Kuroo chuckled, admiring Bokuto´s determination to take care of his body even when cursed.

It seemed as nothing could stop him, not even the death itself. Maybe he should take some inspiration from him. Kuroo found himself smiling as he watched Bokuto washing his own clothes, humming a lullaby. Surprisingly, he had a nice voice when trying to sing.

“Where is the ax, please?” Bokuto sang, not interrupting the private performance of his. Kuroo handed it to him. “I was wondering, where did you get these? Knife, ax? This island doesn´t seem like a place that would provide it, you know?” He started working on logs, stopping after he did enough for at least two weeks.

Kuroo couldn´t turn away. Bokuto bobbed his head, glancing at Kuroo from time to tie. “I got it from the last visitors.” At these words, Bokuto visibly tensed. Kuroo exhaled, thankful for not asking any more question about that.

When finished, Bokuto dressed fully, his pants and shirt dry.  “Do you ever think about the future?” He asked as he walked back with veins popping up from under the skin of his overworked arms. Bokuto himself was dressed only in underwear, the half-nakedness of both men not bothering them in the slightest.

Kuroo snorted at their silliness. There was nothing to be ashamed of. “You seem like a free spirit. If you prefer to be naked, go for it. I don´t care or mind. Okay?” Kuroo asked, wanting for Bokuto to feel comfortable.

“I want to respect your space, your home,” Bokuto said with a bright smile. “Well? The future?”

Kuroo laughed with a smile not reaching his eyes. “What future? Me and you, we are-”

Bokuto didn´t let him finish. “I had enough of adventures for one life, so I might settle down in some remote place-“ He coughed. “Nope, can´t be remote, I am lonely enough as it is. It should be a nice place, close to the big city so I could-“

Kuroo stopped listening to him a long time ago. The sailor was a daydreamer without any fear of these dreams not coming true. Kuroo was the same, once upon a time. He has believed he found his soul mate, someone to share the same dreams with. Many times he was assured of it being the truth and then – blank as a paper, Tabula Rasa. The fear circled around the heart of the person he loved. That person is probably long gone, only the memory of heartbreak living with Kuroo and nightmares visiting him every night.

He put down everything in his hands and walked towards Bokuto. Carefully, he sat on the sand, put arms around his knees and listened to the talking voice of happiness and faith in something better.

The poems started swirling in his head. _When you cry, I listen, then you smile, I cry. I held your hand once, you didn´t, I picked up the pieces, you refused_. Some of them were his own, some of them were read in the books hidden under heavy dust. _I´ve always viewed life from the sidelines, just watching it passing me by, in the past too afraid to just let go and live, and lately too tired to try._

Bokuto stared him. “Kuroo?” His voice was gentle, almost afraid.

“What?” Did he say the poems out loud? He sure hoped not.

Bokuto shrugged, let everything go and sat by Kuroo´s side. “What is your full name?” He whispered into the wind and the sun.

“Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“Nice to meet you.” Bokuto elbowed him lightly. “I don´t like sadness.  Smile for me, please? It will do you good.”

“Will it?”

“I heard that somewhere. If you are sad, try to smile.” Bokuto raised his brows in waiting.

Kuroo couldn´t resist him.

 

**13**

 

Today, Bokuto was astonished two times. The poems striking right through his heart and the smile followed by the red face on both of their faces. “That´s it! You are so pretty when you smile!” Kuroo Tetsurou was a dashing piece of a man who probably had no idea about it.

“Smile can be a lie, but a beautiful one. The smile tells the truth, even the harsh one. Smile may change your whole world, smile is nothing but a safe line when you are lost.”

Something inside Bokuto moved, his chest was squeezed by invisible hand trying to revive him to his full potential dying with his best friend lost almost a century ago.

The waves touched their toes, Kuroo hissed and got up. “It´s salt water. I can´t-“

“Okay!” Bokuto put his hands up, then grabbed Kuroo by the thin wrists and pulled him to the other side. Bokuto let go as he ran and jumped into the water. “Wo-hoo!” He ducked down, the silver hair flowing around him as a veil. He loved being underwater. Every time he got the chance to swim with the sea folk, he did just that. It reminded him of flying which he wasn´t able to do, but forever wished for. That´s when he realized slight difference between the seas and their taste. The sweet part was denser, softer, like a velvet. He stroked it as a loved one, cherishing every moment.

 The breath was leaving him, so he peeked up, hoping Kuroo would join him. The tall man stood on the edge, holding his hands together. The posture reminded Bokuto of the friend he tried to save. Instead, he ended up here, cursed and alone. No, not alone.

“Are you okay?” Bokuto moved towards the shallow waters, then stood up, drops of water trickling down his body.  Kuroo stared at him, at the hair, his mouth opened a little. Yep, people usually reacted exactly like that, when seeing Bokuto with his hair down.

It was the eyes that saw right through him. Kuroo got awestruck by his piercing yellow eyes full of joy, hunting their prey to join them.

“Are you afraid?” Bokuto asked instead of worrying about him. That might do the trick.

Kuroo laughed, theatrically. “Me and afraid?” And just like that, the water war started.

The prey was successfully caught in the hunters’ paws. For a little while, they forgot their names, the reasons for being here, the purpose.

It was a fleeting moment of their life, but meaningful.

It was a simple second of their never ending life, but full of change.

It was a flutter of a butterfly´s wings, giving them the gift of tomorrow.

Over a long time, their laughs faded away, breaths hitched and waves cradled them safely in their sweetness. “Have you ever seen something unusual here, on this island?” Bokuto asked while watching the skies filled with dark clouds and the missing rain.

“I don´t think so.” Kuroo admitted. “I have no idea what could be that clue you are looking for. But you didn´t live here for eighty years, so you might have a better chance to find it.” He splashed him a little. “Are you sure it´s here?”

Bokuto nodded slightly. “I don´t want to leave you alone.”

No reaction.

“I saw you at night. You don´t sleep well, Tetsurou. I wish I could help.”

Kuroo was moving thanks to the waves, otherwise his body stiffened as his mind remembered the man who said - I love you. It was the same man who added - but I can´t. He remembered his own words – I don´t mind. I will do anything. And the answer – I know. But I don´t deserve you. He remembered the men and women who found the island, many years before, when Bokuto was only a reverie. He remembered the pain they brought with them, nothing comparable with the ache of shattered love.

“His name was Kenma.”

 

**14**

 

“He was a great man, devoted, always questioning things. He questioned me, because he didn´t believe himself fully.” Kuroo closed his eyes, wishing for the rain to come. It sometimes did. He felt Bokuto perk up, as he got on his feet, focused.

“I know it´s stupid and I knew it then. I cursed myself. I had a belief I didn´t deserve to love or to be loved. The magic of this world took my words and twisted them into this fate of solitary. There is no one I can love and no one who can love me.” Kuroo also stood up and looked straight into Bokuto´s wet eyes. “I can´t get heartbroken, but I am heartbroken every freaking day. You have a way out of your curse. I don´t. And I left so many people behind, doing the same to them. Leaving them heartbroken.”

They never expected it would be Bokuto getting out of the water, shaking, leaving Kuroo alone.

There was no surprise in Kuroo´s hazel gaze. His story was dumb, explaining exactly who Kuroo was as a person. Nothing good. A nightmare.

He swam for a little longer, diving as deep as he could. Kuroo tried to hold on to the stones in a hope to drown. It wasn´t the first time.

As in the past, he inhaled fresh air. This was never the right choice, even if he could do it. Kuroo didn´t waste time with drying himself, so he just walked and walked. Bokuto was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was looking for that clue? Kuroo shook his head. It didn´t matter, he was going to leave soon. Nothing mattered in here. Not a damn soul. Even animals weren´t able to live here.

Kuroo never dreamed. The only company at night were his nightmares. He saw nothing but pain piercing his heart, twisting the memories and putting the hateful thoughts into his head.

Just like the night before, he calmed down again. He felt it, the light touch, then the heavy arm and leg. Kuroo became Bokuto´s living cushion. “Sorry,” silver haired man mumbled in the morning. “I am used to sleeping like that with the real pillow. You have to do for now.” Bokuto fell back to sleep.

Kuroo laughed, surprising himself. He wondered if Bokuto found the clue or whatever it was. The fire was still going, flames as strong as in the evening, there was no reason to put it out. He started his daily routine of washing up, then yoga. The one time he was able to relax, wholly.

Well, maybe not the only time anymore.

The thoughts came back, this time not only of Kenma, but Bokuto. The people he lost and the people he was going to lose.

How could he hold onto something? Finally, there was someone who liked to stand by his side, who knows why, and even he had to go. Did he really curse himself that much? Kuroo didn´t hate himself, he hated his big heart and everlasting devotion. It was too much for him.

Too much.

Yes, he didn´t know Bokuto well. He didn´t know him at all, but he was here. And he wanted to be here, unwilling to leave Kuroo´s side. It might have been too little in the end.

Kuroo undressed and got under the water.

 

**15**

 

They spent the evening and the night alone. Bokuto left quietly, there was nothing he could say. He cried until his insides dried up, creating a shell of someone who felt pain belonging to someone else. Bokuto knew heartbreak very well, not because of romantic love, but because of death. Akaashi was always there for him, keeping him in check. The one time Akaashi needed the same, Bokuto wasn´t there by his side. That couldn´t happen again.

He smelled the fire from far inside of the island, looking for that silly clue. He heard the crackling, which couldn´t be possible. Bokuto was surprised by his own senses every day. Somehow, he didn´t believe it was the island that was doing this. Everything was clearer, he felt a purpose.

Bokuto knew he made a mistake. That´s why he came back to him in the night, only to find him sleeping, twisting and turning, even screaming as the nightmares strangled him. There was no time for hesitation, no care for Bokuto not being tired. If he could help this man, at least for a little while, he was willing to stare into the void for a couple of nights.

He stared at the serenely sleeping Kuroo as long as his consciousness let him.

 

Bokuto found him at the same spot as the days before. He ceased to hide behind bushes, watching Kuroo walking around, preparing breakfast, practicing yoga with some meditation again. Bokuto wished to become a part of his privacy, to be his friends. They were strangers to each other, echoes tagging each other to conjoin.  

Unfortunately, Bokuto couldn´t look away. He had to admire the man in front of him, he deserved it. What he noticed as clear as day was Kuroo´s face. He was lost, who knows where. That prompted Bokuto to think about his own family and friend. Tetsurou was right. They were gone, all dead, probably. No, don’t think about that. Don´t think at all.

He tried again, repeating the movements Kuroo was doing. His body was so stiff he was certain he was going to break. So much for the respect of someone´s alone time, huh? Bokuto thought, angry at himself, suddenly wishing for Kuroo turn to him. Right here, right now, to help him.

Kuroo has shifted, like he read his mind. Both stared, both smiled. “Relax your muscles. Do the exact opposite from your workout, but not enough to hurt yourself.”

“I don´t think I can do that. My limbs hurt so much I can hear them weep!” Bokuto got disheartened, slumping in the sand. He held the utmost admiration for the man. Kuroo cared for his well-being after everything he´s been through. He may have acted tough, but he was just a simple man trying to hold on to the last bit of blood circulating in his veins.

“You daydream too much, Koutaro!” Kuroo shouted and pointed to the breakfast. “Let´s eat.”

Bokuto came to him, still smiling, spending the rest of his day looking for clues that would help him to let go.

When they sat down to eat again, one complaining about the emptiness of the island, the other complaining about the boredom, they moved closer and watched moons crouched behind the clouds without any rain.

“Kuroo. I don´t want to go.” Bokuto admitted.

Kuroo put his fingers over his palm, freezing with fear under the contact. “I don´t want you to go either.”

And Bokuto found the courage to lean on Tetsurou´s shoulder, to enjoy the night, the day, the tomorrow.

 

**16**

Fragile and paper thin were the seeds of the relationship between the sailor and the noble man shackled by the curse of loss and the desire to dare. Kuroo attended the fire when he heard him again. Bokuto made another batch of logs that would be enough for a whole month, maybe two months. Kuroo smiled at his determination, but it wasn´t determination that kept him going.

Days have passed and Bokuto couldn´t get enough of the lilacs hovering around Kuroo with the hints of lemons, sometimes lavender. As it turned out, he loved to smear a bit of lilac petals on his wrists and collarbones, even the hair, while lavenders made up his small and pretty old pillow in his shelter.

“Do I have a distinct smell? And, don´t send me to wash myself!” Bokuto pleaded with palms connecting and eyes glowing, piercing Kuroo´s heart like an arrow.

Kuroo smirked. “Of course you have. That was the first thing I noticed about you.”

“And?” Bokuto got on his knees, hands buried in the sand and face too close to Kuroo´s neck and chin.

“Rust and cocoa.”

“Eh?” Bokuto slumped.

Kuroo watched him, smirking like a tease. “Rust of your ship embedded within you. Cocoa might be my imagination.” Kuroo leaned closer to him. “You remind me of cocoa or better yet, chocolate. Sweet, smooth and very nice to be around. Raw with your emotions, memorable after landing on every one of the tongue´s taste buds. If you have a lot of it, you might get sick, but you always, always enjoy it.” Then he brushed his hair, leaving Bokuto crimson red. “Do you use some special products on your hair? Because that smelled like cocoa the first day I met you.”

“Maybe,” Bokuto mumbled, looking away.

“Good.” Kuroo put one finger close to the flames, not afraid of the pain. Bokuto did the same, immediately ouching. “If you are here long enough, you learn many tricks.” Kuroo watched the reflection of flames in Bokuto´s eyes of bliss. “Have you found it? The clue for your Promised Land?”

Bokuto pouted. “No. I think I was wrong. I don´t believe it, but I had to be.”

“What´s next then? After you go back to your ship, after another five years of sailing. What are your plans?” Kuroo knew he had them, the daydreamers always did.

“I will come back to you, of course.”

“What?” Everything stopped for a moment. Kuroo heard nothing but his own pulse.

Bokuto nodded vehemently. “I will find a way to get you off this place. To start fresh and happy, my man! If I´ll be lucky, I will find the real clue and then we can have our happily ever after, anywhere we want. I don´t mean together, of course, unless you would like that. I would take you anywhere you´d like to. I have a ship.” Bokuto pointed out the obvious, like no one noticed until now. The corners of his lips were fighting with the gravity.

“Don´t do that. Go and save yourself, that´s your mission.” Kuroo crossed his legs, watching the blaze of fire dancing in unison and in a promise of lightning the world together, then die together.

“Don´t worry. I will save myself,” Bokuto said, smiling sheepishly.

Kuroo´s chest spoke to him, clenched his ribcage and beat up the heat with its´ velocity. “You will forget me by then.” He probably didn´t say it out loud. Bokuto had to change the topic. “One more question.” Bokuto held up the hand, finger pointing up.

“Yeah?” Kuroo rolled his eyes, peering at the overexcited man.

“Ehm. What are those knitted things you own? That blanket you use and-“ Bokuto fidgeted.

Kuroo grinned. “I think you know what it is.”

“Okay.” Bokuto specified the question. “How and why and who?”

“Me. Just because I can and I like it.” Kuroo continued to smirk. “Come on.” He touched his fingertips lightly, showing him bushes with huge roses of pastel colors without limitations. “Look at these threads.”

Bokuto´s mouth gaped. The threads were coming out of the flower petals, the more you pulled, the more you got. “Did someone teach you?”

“My mom. When I discovered this, I was so happy I could sing. I needed a spindle, but I managed to recreate it.” Kuroo walked back to the beach, waiting for Bokuto at the edge of the ocean.

Tetsurou opened his mouth and the songs poured out of him, circling around the island, filling Bokuto´s image of a snow globe with music of beauty and strength.

It took one whole song before Bokuto joined, hesitantly. Kuroo smiled at him without stopping, inviting Bokuto all in.

And just like that, they sang the night away.

And just like that, the last day arrived, the time for Bokuto to leave.

 

 

“Send me a song while you are out there?” Kuroo joked as he watched his new friend gather the clothes and food he didn´t need.

“Maybe I will,” Bokuto answered half seriously. They stood on the beach, seeing each other as a mirror reflection, their stance, thoughts and feelings the same. Not even snowflakes made them flinch. “Why is it snowing and why is it not cold?” Bokuto asked, still gazing into his reflection in form of Kuroo Tetsurou.

Kuroo shrugged. “I told you about the weather. The snow or rain, the temperature never changes. It has no rhythm and no meaning.”

“Snow globe.” Bokuto moved, shaking a bit. There were so many questions to be asked and answered, many stories to be told within the time holding them hostage.

Kuroo waved to him, deep inside hoping for that one song of not being forgotten while traveling. He had no idea Bokuto sang softly in the locked cabin the moment island disappeared from his sight.

Bokuto had no idea about a couple of snowflakes on his deck, holding onto their dear life for five more years.

They had no idea about the small root that started showing above the ground in the middle of the island as a reminder of daydreams, and a ticking clock for nightmares and their upcoming doom.

 

**3rd part – I don´t sleep, only dream and you gaze up towards the sky, reaching for the stars**

 

 

Flames devoured him as the nightmares progressed, worsening with every year of lonesomeness. Kuroo breathed heavily through the sobs as the result of his own insignificance. Orange color fused with shades of honey and scarlet, exploding in the rainbow of sparkling dye, making Kuroo scream with pain, then cool down with serenity and silence. Nightmares flew away, the burning stopped as the warmth made its acquaintance.

It got cold after Bokuto left. The ship and his own body were unable to regain the normal temperature either in the deserts or through the summer days and nights. He became the prisoner of the shackles spreading the surrounding coolness, engraving the memory of his terrestrial last visit into his brain and veins. But he could never forget, there was no need for a reminder like this.

And when another five years have passed. Bokuto came through the night as the straw Kuroo tried to grab onto - the last resolve before drowning.

Nightmares cut off as soon as the ship appeared on the horizon, the cold and shackles tumbling down the moment his feet touched the matchless soil he longed for the last five years.

 

**17**

 

Kuroo stared at the man running towards him, not realizing he spread his arms wide, waiting. Did he remember him? He couldn´t tell. Bokuto jumped down, his feet in the water, his face and body the same, not even a day older. The only passage of time could be told by Kuroo´s arms. This time, they both were tangled in the web of wooden branches as a reminder where he belonged.

The island Bokuto came back to. Or did he find it by a chance after he forgot? Was he free of his curse? Five years was such a long time, for the cursed people even longer. Bokuto smiled as a sunshine, then he sped up and ran into the Kuroo´s arms like a torpedo. Kuroo wasn´t able to move and Bokuto had to wrap his strong arms around him, squeezing the life out of him.

Kuroo felt tears forming in his eyes. The hands of his connected slowly right behind Bokuto´s back, head falling onto his shoulder, resting there for a long, long time. He remembered. They both did.

Somehow, he hasn´t forgotten.

“Don´t be such a downer!” Bokuto cheered right into his ear.

“Ouch!” Kuroo yelled as they stepped back, grinning at each other. It took them five seconds to jump into another hug, this time bouncing and shouting, screeching and thanking every celestial being for one more opportunity to meet. “You remembered.” Kuroo led him to the shelter for some sleep.

Bokuto tilted his head up, checking the surroundings. “You remembered too.” As usual, his stomach grumbled. “Um, Kuroo-?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kuroo gave him a bowl of his own food. “You should know, I looked.”

“Hm?”

Kuroo shuffled his feet. “For the clue, anything unusual, even usual. I looked, found nothing. I am sorry.” Great start of their first day together. Apologizing.

“You are the best.” Bokuto said absent-mindedly, but honestly. Kuroo´s body heated up with the warmth of thousand kisses and hugs.

 

**18**

 

“Talk,” Bokuto commanded with a mouth full of fruits and some flower petals. Those were new additions. “About everything.” About other visitors he might have gotten, if he was treated well, while he was gone. 

“It was lonely. I spent last five years at the same place doing the same motions all over. I might be crazy and you are probably a figment of my imagination, sooo-“

Bokuto slapped his knee and Kuroo gave him a deadly stare in return. “See? I am real.” He reached for him again, this time caressing the slapped knee. “So, you didn´t try anything new? At all? I thought I inspired you.”

“How?” Kuroo asked in disbelief. “Damn,” he mumbled and pointed behind his back. “I made a swing. And I tried these petals you are eating, they are nice. I also tried to rub some of the gold and silver from the bark to use it as a paint. Let´s just say, the trees didn´t like it and I am a terrible artist. What about you?”

Bokuto blinked a couple of times. “That´s all you did in those five years? Unimpressed!” He bit into the melon, juice splitting all over.

“Unimpressed? You try to think of something in the small space where you can do noth-“ His eyes found the ship. “Um, sorry.”

“Uhm,” Bokuto agreed, then grinned. “By the way, I think it´s cool how much you did. Now, the important matter. Where is that swing?”

Just like that, the rest of the night was spent with Bokuto being pushed by relentless Kuroo. All of a sudden, five years meant nothing. Bokuto enjoyed the smell of the non-temperature air of the island hidden by the miracles and traitorous seas. This place was never easy to find, but always worth it.

And when Kuroo had enough, that´s when Bokuto noticed it. He jumped off the swing, taking Kuroo´s hands into his. “When did this happen?”

Kuroo flinched. Bokuto let him go, knowing well what it meant. Until this day, he wished to know more about the time Kuroo was visited by people who hurt him really bad. Sometimes he was okay, sometimes he was not. Today, Kuroo forgot how nice it was to be tasted with love, not hate and ruthlessness.

They were looking at the branches grasping on Kuroo´s limbs. He shrugged, then put his arms behind his back. “I don´t notice it anymore.”

The night got swallowed by the underground as the sun jumped out of its temporary grave, shining upon the two sleeping figures curled close to each other, but not close enough.

 

**19**

 

Sleep held onto him for a couple of hours, waking him up with the start of another nightmare. Kuroo shot up, unsure if last night was real or some twisted game of his mind. Nope, there he was. Bokuto, climbing the trees, collecting anything edible and using binoculars, certainly fishing for something to point him to the Promised Land.

“I must be wrong, but I know I am not,” Bokuto mumbled to himself as he collected more food. Kuroo watched him, amused. “Tetsu, you are awake, good, good. Look! Look how much I brought. Isn´t it cool? Hm? Hm?”

Kuroo nodded. “Don´t get ahead of yourself.”

“Awww, man, praise me sometimes!”

“Then tell me about your adventures. Come on!”

They walked towards the beach, deliberately slow, enjoying every waking moment, even while yawning thanks to the lack of sleep. Before the beach materialized in front of them, the island got attacked by the heavy rain.

“How?” Bokuto yelled in anger. “Those skies! Blue as a-”

Kuroo touched him so lightly, it might have flown by Bokuto unnoticed. “Let it be, Koutaro. That doesn´t matter.” Nearby trees provided them a bit of safety against the drops, not the wetness. Kuroo closed his eyes and listened to Bokuto´s words, talking about every little thing he experienced while sailing.

“I had a fight against Chimera. That was fun! I stroked it down without having to set a foot on land. As you know, that would be preeeetty tough for meee.” Bokuto motioned with his fists, then he hopped into the rain, acting out slaying the monster with the sword. “Cool, right?” Bokuto was drenched, but glowing. ”Honestly, I wish you could have seen me, so cool!”

Kuroo noticed him staring, awaiting some reaction. Kuroo pressed his lips together, trying to stifle the laugh of endearment. “Cool, Bokuto. Very cool.”

The rain was unwilling to stop. They sat down in silence as they listened to the music of the drops. Bokuto stirred a little, getting closer to Kuroo, moving one of his arms over him.

“It´s not cold,” Kuroo whispered. “It´s raining, but it´s not cold.”

“I know,” Bokuto agreed into Kuroo´s skin, his breath warm.

“Okay.” Kuroo grabbed him tightly as the most valuable treasure of this world.

The last time someone touched him wasn´t this pleasant. Soft and careful, like he was a cracked glass close to splintering. He was held like a child on the verge of tears, reassured by the warm skin soughing - it will be okay. You will be okay.

 

**20**

 

Bokuto felt his emotions, heard his words in a form of a poem like they were his own. Later, he woke up to the sound of cries and pleading. Somehow, through the day and night, they fell asleep under the tree, falling apart from each other.

Like every other night, this one wasn’t different. Kuroo´s rest was plagued by the gargoyles of the past and fears and no future in sight. Bokuto felt tears in his eyes and squeezing of his chest. His insides turned on him, making him sick. He got up and threw up, kneeling.

How could he help him? He had to endure this every night. And the last couple of years, he had literally nobody to soothe him in the night. Bokuto´s presence was only a fleeting moment in their lives. Kuroo needed more, so much more.

Bokuto crawled to him, his touch strong and determined. Kuroo didn´t wake. He mumbled, then exhaled, his body still. Bokuto jerked at the sound of crows nowhere to be seen. “Creepy.”

No way he could go back to sleep now. He leaned back to the tree, looking up into the skies, not letting go of Kuroo´s hand. Bokuto realized he was still dressed in his long brown coat. His fingers played with it, then stopped, drawing air figures in the air.

Bokuto dreamed of a future again, tenacious to fight for it, for his freedom, with a bit of luck for Kuroo´s too.

Scents of lemon and lilac hit him again as Kuroo moved closer, his hair standing right under Bokuto´s nose. He missed the aroma of Kuroo Tetsurou, it was a reminder of a fun and better times. One of the stars fell down, which prompted Bokuto to make a wish; to never stop dreaming.

He reached for the scarfs Kuroo made, squeezed them so hard he could tear them apart with a single move. The paintings were hiding under and Bokuto remembered Kuroo´s words. He said they were no good, but for Bokuto, they represented masterpieces.

Not because of the style, but the messages in them.

There were three pieces with golden background and silver silhouettes in front. The first painting depicted a man resembling Kuroo, laying down naked with his back arched in a pleasure, lips moaning, eyes closed surrounded by tears of regret. It wasn´t satisfaction he depicted.

Second painting had two silhouettes, one so small it was easily missed. Young man or woman, hard to tell without any details, with longer hair and small stature fading within the sun. The other silhouette, resembling Kuroo again, was a lot bigger and in front, kneeling with arms in shackles, bruised back, blood trickling from behind his hair.

The last paining was full of gold, two silhouettes merging into one, impossible to say who they were supposed to represent. Silver background reminded Bokuto of waves, of the sea with single flower peeking from the right corner.

Bokuto put the paintings back. He shouldn´t have looked. It was a pain, it was a pleasure, and it was everything making up Kuroo´s current life.

 

 

Another morning made its welcome with the sun shining and rain falling without a break. “Good morning.” Bokuto watched Kuroo sit up, then stare at his friend.

“You are awake.” Kuroo hinted at the role reversal.

“Yep.”

Kuroo wrinkled his nose and got up, turning his back to Bokuto. “I need to pee.” He disappeared, leaving Bokuto alone with his confusion.

“Did I do something wrong?” He asked, waiting.

“Nope.”

“That was fast!” Bokuto exclaimed as he stood up.

Kuroo gave him a strange look. “Do you want something?”

“Why do you-“

“I see the questions in your eyes. That´s why you stayed with me awake until I got up too, right?” Kuroo saw right through him. How was that possible? What made him to figure all of this out?

Bokuto pressed his lips together. “What do you nightmare about? Because I can´t call them dreams.” They stared, unwilling to give up the feeling of competition that suddenly arose between them. Bokuto waited for answers, Kuroo didn´t want or couldn´t give any. “Do you even sleep?” Bokuto changed his ask, hoping to find out more.

“What do you mean?” Kuroo backed a bit like a cat, eyeing his surroundings ready to flee if needed.

“Tetsurou,” Bokuto mumbled, then added loudly. “I don´t think you sleep. There are simply you and your nightmares when you close your eyes. I can´t explain it better, it´s the feeling I can´t shake off of me, I-“

Kuroo laughed, relaxing his body, almost plopping to the ground. “Yes, Bokuto. I think you are right.” His back bumped into the nearest tree, sliding down, scaring his skin with the sharp bark. Bokuto made one long step before he was cut off by Kuroo´s outstretched palm. “Don´t.” He was sitting there, resting head in hands, fingers pulling the hair. Bokuto´s sight turned to Kuroo´s back, all of his fresh, shallow wounds filled with silver paint of the tree.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, noticing other imperfections of Kuroo. “Perfect,” he mumbled in adoration, which made Kuroo more endearing and more real.

 

**21**

 

Kuroo heard him, taking in the aroma of rust in his lungs and cocoa on his tongue. The sole way to reach the world outside of the island and the curse.

He sat there, unable to react. Those words were false. Kuroo knew, Kuroo remembered. It was the single thing he remembered.

Nightmares and daydreamers.

 

 

“I don´t think you sleep,” resonated with him, echoing through his blood, striking the heart directly in the middle.

The warnings.

Kuroo remembered the words of his cousin Tooru, when he first introduced him to Kenma, the man of his dreams. When he asked for the opinion, knowing Tooru would love him, his cousin said: “I like him, but are you two compatible?”

“What do you mean?”

Tooru smiled, then licked his upper lip. “Come on. Don´t you see? You are a daydreamer, Tetsu. You daydream wherever you go, you look for the stars with head held high!”

“So?” Kuroo wasn´t getting any of this.

Tooru clenched his fists. “I saw him in the night. He is your nightmare, Tetsu, he doesn´t sleep, merely dreams. You can´t reach towards the stars when he is running away from them.”

“So?” Kuroo repeated, his heart racing.

“You might be running opposing paths.”

“I love him and he loves me. Don´t tell me you didn´t see that,” Kuroo demanded as he banged the table with the fist.

Tooru nodded. “Yes. That does not change you are heading elsewhere. And he sees it. You don´t.”

“You are lying,” Kuroo choked out.

“I hope so.”

He was right.

 

 

“Kuroo?” He shook him hard unable to make the memories go away.

“Bokuto?” Kuroo said the name slowly, savoring every syllable like a piece of marzipan he hasn´t had for such a long time. It was the unique candy he ever enjoyed.

“Come on, man. I know this plays tricks on our minds, making us crazy, but you are not alone. There were times on that ship when I-“

Finally, Kuroo raised his head. “When you what?”

“Before I met you, I wanted to leave. After I met you, I wanted to stay. And when I was gone, I-.” Their stares held onto each other with every ounce of strength they had. “I sang. Every time I missed you, I sang to you, to me. I was scared of coming back. What if you wouldn´t remember or care? What if you´d be dead? I stayed, because I believe.”

Kuroo almost smiled. This should heal him, but didn´t. “That´s the problem, Koutaro. As you said, I don´t sleep. My head is filled with dreams crowded with masked faces pulling me down, not letting me see. You are a daydreamer. You look for the stars, you see them and understand them. I might be your doom, Bokuto.” Kuroo got up, his legs shaking. He got overwhelmed with his real age, like it caught up suddenly. It was the fear of losing pushing him to the ground.

 

**22**

 

“You should run,” resonated in Bokuto´s ears; the spell so strong he got afraid of even worse fate than the curse itself. What was that itch he couldn´t scratch? His limbs were weak like he lost most of the muscles, even his head was fatigued.

Run.

But he didn´t want to. Bokuto spent the day helping with wood and food as he explored the island even deeper than before. It wasn´t that big and honestly, nothing has changed since the last time he visited.

He paused by the small stream where Kuroo got the drinking water. The lion´s roar came, scaring Bokuto so hard he jumped and bumped his head on the rock. “Great.” He forgot there are sounds, but no animals. “At least not visible ones,” he complained and checked his forehead.

“What happened?” Kuroo asked, eyes wide open and interrogative.

“Lion.”

“Lion?”

Bokuto frowned. “I heard lion and got scared. It´s nothing.”

“You are bleeding,” Kuroo informed him. “Let me help.”

His hands were like magic, taking away all the pain with simple movements. “Will I have a scar?” Bokuto asked in a small voice.

“No, just a little bump.”

Bokuto sighed. “Good. Thank you.”

“Please, be careful.” Kuroo continued with his work, ignoring Bokuto.

Fine, Bokuto decided. If you want it this way. Long strides took him right to the swing, where he spent the rest of his day, wondering about Kuroo´s thinking. What should he do? Was Kuroo avoiding him? Bokuto didn´t think so, but he was so quiet it made him uncomfortable.

“What would Akaashi do?” Bokuto thought, the image of his best friend forming before his eyes. “What would you do?” Bokuto wasn´t very smart, but he wasn´t dumb either. His passion made him who he was and Akaashi always reminded him of that. That´s why he turned to him, even in his death, seeking advice.

He tried to remember his eyes, his voice, personality, and those little quirks he loved so much about him. It was hard, but some remnants stayed, not all of them.

Bokuto´s face was full of tears, for his dead friend and the living one, for himself.

“May I?” he asked Kuroo at the night, inside of the shelter. Kuroo nodded. “Is there anything I can do?” Bokuto asked, laying by Kuroo´s side.

“This is not about you, Koutaro. After this week, you should go and never turn back. I cannot take you down with me. I want you to daydream. Forever.” Kuroo touched Bokuto´s cheeks, wiping the tears away.

They were never ending. “What would you do, Akaashi?”

Even the light of the day wasn´t able to wake him up in the human time. Bokuto got up after silent strokes of colors, whispering to him in every shade that existed.

He surged up, a little dizzy from a shock of the blood flowing into his brain. At this moment, nothing mattered. This was the sight worth of beauty and life. Bokuto gazed up at the four rainbows crossing each other high in the skies, the last chapter of the rainy days.

“Kuroo! Kuroo!” He screamed as he raced to the beach. “Do you see it?” His finger pointed to the sky.

“Yes.” Kuroo didn´t look up, concentrating on the water where he washed himself, who knows how long. His fingertips were wrinkled.

“Kuroo-”

Then he smiled. “They are beautiful.” He got out to dry. It was time to work again.

 

**23**

The flower whose root started showing five years ago bloomed its buds as of yesterday. Before it could blossom fully, the baby flower found itself under Kuroo´s bare foot, while he occupied his mind with picking herbs.  Anywhere he went, Tooru´s voice followed him as a ghost of his youth tucked far away.

“Why are you so scared?” The soft, mischievous voice asked.

“I am not scared.” Kuroo countered, picking the fruit so hard he squished it.

“Yes, you are,” Tooru opposed him.

“You once told me it´s dangerous. And how did it end?” Kuroo didn´t turn around, he wasn´t ready to admit he might be crazy. If he did turn, he might see him. He wished to see him, but in the afterlife. “Me and Kenma, you warned me.”

Tooru laughed like a couple of small bells they used to play with as children. “Tetsu, honey. Look at me. You know it´s not true. You are not like Kenma, there is some belief in you. Always will be, you are too pure to lose it. He was just unlucky. You don´t have to be.”

“No. I dream, I don´t sleep.” Kuroo threw the apple away.

“Look at me,” Tooru pleaded, voice stern.

“No.”

“Kenma was beaten from things you couldn´t change. You can and he can. You are as same as ever. You can daydream and he has nightmares he doesn´t talk about.” Tooru´s voice got closer. “Look at me, Kuroo. You have nothing to lose. Not right now. Look at me.”

“No!” Kuroo yelled his lungs out.

“Look.” Soft voice disappeared with the gust of wind that brought the rain clouds in. Lightning cut the skies open, then the thunders followed, roaring in unison, gathering to fight the sunrays. “Look at me.”

Kuroo turned with his eyes locked down.

“Look up, Kuroo. The stars are calling you,” Bokuto said with a sad smile. “I am calling you.” Two long strides were enough to reach him. Bokuto touched his chin with one finger, gently pushing up so they were face to face, eye to eye.

Kuroo stared into those yellow eyes that saw right inside his soul. “I am sad.”

“I know,” Bokuto nodded. “I know this might be stupid, but I will fight. I am determined to win this in any way I can. With or without you, but no matter what, you are part of this. Do you understand?”

Kuroo breathed in the scent of rust and cocoa, lusting after something sweet. “I don´t,” he admitted. “But I will let you.”

 

**24**

 

“You were left behind, I get that,” Bokuto added through another thunder, while he and Kuroo walked back to the beach, unafraid of the upcoming thunderstorm. “I have only minutes with you, Kuroo. One short week, but if I will be victorious, I could have an eternity. I will come back again, count on that.” In the night, in the dark, I will come.

Bokuto awaited a sign of reaction, even small gaze or nod would be enough. Kuroo did nothing of the sorts. “Kuroo. Are those nightmares of yours result of those people? I need to ask, because I not only see, but feel your pain and it´s killing me. I know it´s not about me, I know that, but-“

“I know,” Kuroo said in a faint voice. “I know, Bokuto. Maybe I should talk about it. Keeping it inside until my insides combust isn´t the best solution, right?”

“This is not funny.”

“I am not trying to be funny.” Kuroo scratched his shoulder. “I am sorry. I didn´t realize you noticed.” It baffled him. He was more perceptive than he gave him credit for.

“Well, I did.”

Kuroo nodded. “They came. They acted like my friends, they said they wanted to help me. They didn´t, they found me an easy prey. I tried to defend myself, but when drugged, you can´t. It was silly of me, but I was so lonely. So lonely, Bokuto. Long story short, they touched me and beat me and used me in any way imaginable. Trust me. Anything that pops into your head right now, probably happened to me.” Kuroo lowered his head. “You know what´s worse? That you can´t stop the pleasure from coming. But it´s not pleasure anymore, it´s something rotten and disgusting and not a connection to your loved one or just being good to yourself, because you have needs. You can´t do shit with your biology when it comes to that. You can withhold the pain, which I did, you can withhold mental breakdowns, you can repair that somehow later in time, but you can´t-“

Trembles were consuming him, but the thickness and stickiness of those crude memories were floating away. At last, letting him breathe a little. This was the first step, to say it loudly, to face it, to take it in. “I was in pain when they had enough of me. That´s when the roots showed up.” He held up his hand. “No visitors came ever since, only you.”

Bokuto lost his voice and his heart raced as never before. His mind conjured images of iron wall and poking of the eyes out and of the touches that would remind Kuroo of pleasure and passion, as it was supposed to be. Bokuto was so close to punching something, but this wasn´t about him. He had to stifle his emotions, for now. Sand under his arms moved on its own. Bokuto frowned. Was the island alive? Was it protecting Kuroo, letting in only those who were not going to hurt him?

He sat close to the blazing sea, studded with sweet drops. Bokuto opened his mouth to speak again, when he heard it.

“You can´t walk away from the pain, you can´t fight it or send it away. You may try to paint over, try to grab it, let it make you grow. You may change your ache into a song, you can run and hide, but you can´t do it alone.”

Kuroo sang.

There was no sadness when he made up the melody with a drive and lyrics with soul. It wasn´t lullaby and it wasn´t bittersweet, quite the opposite. Kuroo´s lines provided them with diamonds only life could bring, the chosen melody filling up the space with raw emotions only death could call upon them.

Many of those songs, the old ones and new ones, came to an end, but Kuroo didn´t stop even when thunders and winds interrupted him. It was then, when Bokuto joined in.

Kuroo got silent, listening closely. Bokuto chose the song his friend used to sing with the guitar in his hands. Never before he tried to recreate the song, it belonged to the two of them only. Today was different.

It was time to dust it down.

Bokuto watched the lightnings fighting the duels of their lifetime. Not once he dared to look at Kuroo. Maybe he already left, maybe he covered his ears so he wouldn´t have to listen to this awful voice.

With the third song, something strange happened. Kuroo had put his head down into Bokuto´s lap, joining him with the tune they both knew. Bokuto stroked his hair, his cheek, almost leaned in to give him a peck.

When Bokuto lost his voice, it got quiet. “Don´t stop,” Bokuto pleaded. Nothing. He gazed down at Kuroo´s face.

He fell asleep without any nightmares or dreams taking his rest away from him. Bokuto smiled, relieved. “Good night, Tetsuro.”

The first thing Kuroo asked for in the morning, was the same thing he asked for when Bokuto left him the last time he was there. “Koutaro? When you sail away, will you sing for me? Will you send me a song when you´ll think of me?”

Bokuto´s answer was wide smile of delight and tenderness.

**25**

 

“What are you doing?! Ouch, man!” Kuroo shouted, one hand covering his eye, the other searching for Bokuto to slap him painfully on the shoulder.

“I am sorry, I didn´t mean to!”

“That would be weird if you did!” Kuroo moaned. “I still feel your sock in the eye. And why are you wearing socks?”

Bokuto´s shoulders slumped, his head falling hiding among them. “I am so sorry, let me see.”

“No!” Kuroo tried to stop him, Bokuto got his thumb in the other eye instead. He jumped away, howls changing into laughter. He tried to end it, but couldn´t. This new kind of mood spread through him like a wildfire; strong, passionate, burning away everything impure and hurtful, leaving lightness and freedom in its wake. He shook with every breath, earthquake rumbling through his body as it destroyed every guilt that haunted him.

“Are you - is everything fine?” Bokuto reached out to touch him, while Kuroo cackled. Bokuto joined him in the duet of friendship flowing through them.

“Thank you,” Kuroo breathed out, exhausted. “I haven´t felt like this for such a long time. Such a long time.” They plopped down on the sand, heaving.

“Sorry about that eye. It´s my luck, you know?” Bokuto tapped Kuroo´s chest. “I could be five meters away and I would be able to poke you in the face, with my elbow.”

“Don´t exaggerate.” Somehow, Kuroo didn´t doubt his words.

Bokuto turned on his stomach, feet in the air, arms playing with buttons of the shirt. “Don´t try me.”

The rest of the day was spent at the same place, talking about small, trivial things. Favorite colors of red and yellow, favorite flowers of tulips and daffodils, of dream jobs they wished for as kids, what it meant to be a future king and to be a thief. “We should get going. It will be night soon.” Kuroo sat up, staring into Bokuto´s shining eyes.

“Not yet. Please.” Bokuto´s gaze was serious. “I would like to know more about you. Real you, your family, friends. You already know I was a thief who tried to help those in need. Urgh, in the end, it was usually me who ended up in need. In a different way, but still in a need. Too headstrong.”

“I noticed,” Kuroo agreed, but refused the invitation. “I am not who I was anymore. Past me doesn´t matter.” He stood up. “I don´t remember much, to be honest.”

“Then who is Tooru?”

Kuroo gazed away from Bokuto towards the heavens. “I remember people. And emotions about them. Tooru was my cousin.”

“Talk about them? Or about your hobbies? There must have been something-”

Kuroo watched the clouds go away as the daylight said goodbye and afterglow changed into the night in one swift motion. Stars blinked at him and Kuroo smiled. He was back by Bokuto´s side. “I can do that.”

That´s when he showed him everything. Kuroo named every star in the skies, every constellation that he still remembered. “Me and Tooru, we loved watching space. Well, he loved it and I loved the way he spoke about it. Space was his one true love.”

“Did Tooru teach you?” Bokuto asked curiously.

“No. As a noble men, we had a tutor. Well, he was more a friend than a tutor, he was our age.” Kuroo licked his lips, embarrassed to admit the tutor was younger than them. “He was very strict and completely impatient. We weren´t the best students and he was a bitch of a tutor. But good one.”

Bokuto nodded. “Do you think I would like them? Tooru or that tutor of yours?”

“Oh, Tooru would love you and you would love him even more. When it comes to Tsukki-eh-our tutor, that´s questionable. But if I read him correctly, I believe you could have tought him a thing or two. Bit of your passion would make his life a lot better.” Kuroo softened with these memories coming back to him one by one. “But I am not who I used to be.”

Bokuto touched his arm, curling his fingers around Kuroo´s. Kuroo let him. “You are right and you are not right. Yes, we changed as everyone does with time, but-”

“I was a dreamer like you, Koutaro. I am not anymore.”

“That´s where you are wrong.” Bokuto lowered his gaze to him, so close he could kiss him. “You are a dreamer. You gazed upon the stars just before you took a pity on me and started talking about your loved ones. Wasn´t that your requirement? That I look towards the stars and you don´t?”

Kuroo explored Bokuto´s winning face silently, admiring every part of him. Without any sound coming out of his mouth, he agreed with unassuming nod.

**26**

 

“I was very scared,” Bokuto admitted as they walked back to their shelter to call it a night. “That, in time, I won´t remember anything and anyone on that stupid ship.” He washed off bits and pieces of sand, then sat down to go to sleep. “I never had a chance to talk about them much. I didn´t even try to see them on my sails. It would be too painful.”

Kuroo listened without interrupting.

“But as I saw you the second time, here on the island, I realized I still have my sunshine with me.” Bokuto touched the medallion in the pocket of his trousers.

“Sunshine? Like a girlfriend?”

Bokuto opened the trinket, showing him a picture of a young boy with bright orange hair. “My brother. Shouyo. Always so happy and energetic, full of life and devotion for things and people he loved.” Bokuto was curious about Kuroo´s reaction. The dark haired man examined the picture carefully, the corners of his lips rising upwards. “He might be still alive, an old man,” Bokuto dreamed up a hope he lived a good and fulfilling life. “I am not going to find out. That way, I can´t be disappointed and my dream for him can live forever.”

Kuroo studied the horizon. “You are right.”

“I miss him. I miss them,” Bokuto whispered.

“I do too.” They leaned into each other, falling asleep as the bells of midnight chimed, with Kuroo being the living pillow for Bokuto Koutaro.

 

 

“Really?!” Kuroo was sitting down on the ground with a broken branch in one hand and the dirt over his hair. “Really, Bokuto? Why did I listen to you? I know this place better than you!”

Bokuto chuckled, trying to be subtle with the fun he was having. He wasn´t successful. “It´s my charms!”

“Ooh, I will show you charms!” Kuroo tried to get up, when his right leg gave up. “Ouch.”

“Are you okay?” Bokuto asked, instantly serious. “The fall wasn´t that high, right? Right?”

It was a mistake to believe he was hurt. Kuroo jumped up with the fastest reflexes Bokuto ever seen. “Got you!” He yelled, landing on Bokuto´s back with arms over his face and chest. “Now, take me back!”

Bokuto acted all hurt. “How could you? You pretended to be in pain? Disgusting.” He was a very bad actor, but Kuroo laughed anyway.

“Revenge,” Kuroo hissed, grinning. “Will you take me back or should I tackle you down?”

Bokuto moved him a bit to fit better, then started running with Kuroo´s right hand straightened, screaming – I am an eagle, I am a crow, I am a bird!

“I can´t. Anymore-” Bokuto huffed, shaking Kuroo off and falling to his knees, all sweaty. That´s when he felt it. The shadows of dusk climbed over them, Bokuto´s chest tightening. “How many days have gone?”

Kuroo visibly gulped. “Is it time?”

Bokuto nodded.

 

**27**

 

The second time wasn´t easy. It was written on Bokuto´s face, his expression an opened book – I am not ready to leave, I never will be. “Come on, Koutaro. It will be okay.” Bokuto shook his head, unable to stop, unable to look Kuroo in the eyes. “Bokuto!” Kuroo raised his voice, then hands, cupping Bokuto´s cheeks. “Take the wave and face the sea. You have your purpose, you have to find it.”

“What if I can´t?” Bokuto mumbled, looking down.

“Then you can´t.”

“But I want to be with you.”

Kuroo sighed. “This world won´t go on forever. My curse won´t either. I will find you, in this life or another. Until then, you have to turn your back on me and go, face the sea. You are wild and strong, you can do it. If you find the Promised Land, Bokuto. Boku-Koutaro!”

His voice echoed through the ripples of waves crashing at the shore. Bokuto stared at him, crying.

“If you find it and you´ll be free, or even if you don´t find it. If five years will pass and you´ll reach the new shore, don´t regret it. Don´t regret anything.” Kuroo held him, afraid to let this treasure go.

Bokuto trembled. “Do you want me to go and forget you?”

“No, of course not. I want you to go, but never forget me. Just remember there is a good reason why you have to leave me, why-”

“I will miss you.”

Kuroo gave him the most honest smile he ever gave. “I will miss you too and don´t you dare to forget that either. We can´t hold each other tight, that´s what got us into this mess, right?” Kuroo felt an urge to kiss him, but didn´t, it would make it harder. He let his hands hang by his body like a rubber without any strength in them.

If you love something, you let it go.

“When you think of me, sing. Send me a song and I will send you one back.”

 

**28**

 

And when Bokuto got lonely, his quest for Promised Land unsuccessful, he started to sing the songs Kuroo made up. There was a hope in those words and melodies, there was a love hiding inside of them.

And when Bokuto sang, every night and every day, Kuroo woke up, hearing someone calling to him, trying to reach him. Kuroo Tetsurou smiled every time it happened, his lips opening with hushed tones of new songs growing.

 

 

After their second goodbye, they had no idea that the small flower Kuroo accidentally stepped on has been blooming anyway, with many more buds sprouting, many more flowers making their grand entrance. Higher and higher with every song they sent to each other.

 

**4th part – under the company of three glowing moons and the icy sun**

 

 

Worlds got quiet with the passing of ships, of waves, of a time with different speed. Kuroo found it troubling how he couldn´t focus anymore. A couple of days tangled with pure happiness, reminding him he was still alive, made it harder for him to go on without the man who made promises to keep the memory of his for evermore.

Kuroo stood naked on the beach, washing up and watching the reflection of the moons in the sparkles of diamond sea. The mist visited him, tagging with a bit of a cold which was unusual. Kuroo straightened up, sniffing. Yes, it was cold, or at least colder than usually. Interesting turn of events that might have been happening in his head only.

He watched the horizon, waiting every day for the ship to come. It wasn´t a good idea. If Bokuto found his freedom, Kuroo wished for him to stay as far away as he could.

That didn´t change how much he missed him and wanted him back. Back in his arms. Outside of the curses, they´d be still strangers, probably. Waiting, wasting the precious time.

For them, everything was different. They cherished those moments, used every second they could. It was more than the spell binding them to places and spaces. It was the connection Bokuto fought for and the connection Kuroo finally let in. He let him in, brewed together another recipe for a disaster.

Last time, Kuroo cried. Today, Kuroo accepted the fate or whatever it was.

Another day crossed the finish line, another day without him in sight. Kuroo hugged his chest, even the mist and cold ditching him. If they could take the nightmares away, he wouldn´t complain, although he had to admit, there was less of them. Some nights, he didn´t dream at all.

When the week was gone and Kuroo got sure the time for Bokuto´s five years was up, he stopped looking and waiting. Good. Good for him, he shouldn´t waste time on him. It finally happened, he forgot him.

Every day routine began from scratch. Kuroo took the new basket he made and  picked up the fruits and nuts, accompanied by animal noises he usually ignored. This time, he quite enjoyed it. At least Bokuto would, because he would enjoy every little thing happening around him.

Yoga practice made him ache, meditation made him think. He was not going to give up on himself. Kuroo might feel as being sucked into a void, it couldn´t last forever. Nothing does. That´s what Bokuto taught him even without trying to.

Kuroo listened to the crows and cats, there was an owl hooting in not so far distance, he could imagine it spreading its wings, or the eagle catching its prey. It was weirdly calming.

He got to the other side of the island, picking last pieces of the edible petals similar to lilac. His heart beat fast, Kuroo wanted to run away, to hide. The more he thought about not seeing Bokuto again, the more he wished to leave his body.

Then he saw it.

The ship he knew by heart.

He came back.

Bokuto came back to him.

“Man, I almost didn´t make it!” Bokuto shouted after he got down to the shore. He ran as fast as the water let him, right into Kuroo´s frozen arms. “Are you okay, Tetsu?”

Kuroo couldn´t stop the tears. He was trembling, unable to move. He tried to shift his lips, they didn´t listen.

“Tetsu?” Bokuto shook him.

Kuroo did it. He smiled.

Bokuto hugged him even tighter, yelling something about arriving from the other side, so he got confused and unsure of his way. He was scared to death he wouldn´t be able to make it, but he did. Bokuto squeezed him, then pinched his cheeks, pecked his face all over, running fingers over Kuroo´s arms and neck, stopping there. “What is this?”

 

**29**

 

It was spreading. Branches vined from his arms towards the neck, stopping right under the chin, where his longer, badly cut hairstyle fell. “You should have let me cut it. If you are going to use a knife, then-” Bokuto noticed something else as he smelled the lilac in Kuroo´s black strands and the lemon from his mouth.

“They won´t get off,” Kuroo admitted when Bokuto examined light pink pearls in his hair. He counted them, there were exactly nine of them.

“I hope not. You look beautiful,” Bokuto exhaled in awe.

Kuroo opened his mouth.

“I am real, Kuroo. You can move, trust me, you won´t wake up.”

“Maybe I dreamt all of this a long time ago. Maybe that is my real curse.” 

“Such a downer, after everything,” Bokuto patted him on the back. “I am not going to ask you how you were these five years.”

Kuroo laughed. “Oh my gosh, man. That´s a relief!”

“Finally,” Bokuto could listen to his laughter forever. It was the purest sound he heard, it was the sound he loved the most. Bokuto´s chest started to hurt with a sudden realization. This was entirely different from what he thought. This is-

“Let´s go,” Kuroo whispered, taking him by the hand back to the shelter, not forgetting the food. “I am not going to waste any more time with you.”

Bokuto gladly followed him, checking up on the island. It didn´t change a bit, at least from what he could tell. Shame, he still hasn´t found the clue to end his stupid curse.

“I felt cold yesterday. Colder than usual. It scared me,” Kuroo explained the unexpected change of weather. “I hope it´s not a sign of impending doom.”

“Kuroo, stop this-“ Bokuto didn´t finish, Kuroo laughed once more. “So now you are making fun, are you?” He couldn´t laugh with him and Tetsurou noticed.

He touched his neck, not needing Bokuto´s approval. His closeness was enough to let him know he doesn´t mind. “What is it?”

Bokuto crossed his arms and pouted a bit like a child determined to do something incredibly dangerous and irresponsible. “Since I can´t figure out the clue for my Promised Land, I am going back to the demon and beg him to let me speak. I will do everything in my power to find a solution or to change his mind. Either way, I thought you should know. I am not giving up.”

“No,” Kuroo said instantly, sure of himself. “No way, no. You might make things worse and I don´t want that from you. No, no way.”

Bokuro watched him get up and pace back and forth. “This is not your decision to make. It´s about my life and sorry, but-“

“I know.” Kuroo stopped, one hand resting on the tree, coloring his hand with gold. “I know, I just-”

“Can´t imagine not to meet anymore, right?” Bokuto also stood up.

Kuroo snorted. “It´s just mere seconds of our lives and they totally got us in its paws. Can it even be real? Whatever it is?”

“Yes,” Bokuto said without hesitation.

“How can you be sure?” Kuroo pierced him with his eyes, looking for whatever it was Bokuto saw in him, in this.

“Because you stand right there and I stand right here and I feel it.” Bokuto touched his chest. “I don´t care how lame I might look right now. It´s here and it´s about more than just two people meeting by accident, thanks to some curse. It´s more than just - we were lonely, so we grabbed the first chance we got. I think-“ Bokuto took a deep breath, “no matter where and when I would meet you, I´d be drawn to you. How fast, who knows, but it would be you and me in the end. In any life, any universe, any shape or form. Friends, lovers, co-workers, neighbors, the crew of the same ship or noblemen and his servant, we would be together, never as enemies.” Bokuto surprised even himself, he was never capable of such words. Years on the sea teach you a lot, probably. He couldn´t tell, he only did what was right, he reacted to what he saw and felt. Lately, he had seen Kuroo Tetsurou and felt emotions transcending his own humanity.

“What are we now?” Kuroo asked quietly, one hand still on the tree, his body hunched in front, eyes deep inside of Bokuto´s being. “What is this fleeting moment for us?

“Everything.”

One long stride closed the distance between them as they kissed. Bokuto´s lips crashed into him, to remind Kuroo how good it felt to be touched with appreciation and devotion, if Kuroo would let him.

And he did. Kuroo opened his mouth, taking Bokuto in. Slowly, like he was testing how far he was able to go. Bokuto raised his hands, hesitating. Kuroo let him move freely. Bokuto cupped his face, while Kuroo brushed his hair with fingertips, pulling him closer.

The world started to paint itself in bright colors, the grey filter dissolving away into the nothingness.

Bokuto was there to show him stars and moons and the planets created with the whispers and kisses, painted by their moans and pleasure, sculpted with the dedication and faithfulness for each other, for what they shared.

 

**30**

 

Kuroo´s heart beat with eagerness and worry. He had no time to think and he didn´t want to think. If he´d flinch, needed to stop, Bokuto would understand.

As their lips collided, the memory of pain got brushed over by the presence of satisfaction. Their tongues touched, the feeling beating up the memory of Kuroo´s first time with a woman. Soft caress of Bokuto´s palms on his cheeks threw away harsh recollections of slaps and kicks in his last days. Skin on skin, the warmth and panting of the joint bodies crushed the potion that once made him lethargic, easy for anything and everything.

It wasn´t prevalent anymore. It was, but wasn´t. Bokuto´s admiration let him enjoy the moment. This man taught him you could be fond of many people in your life. You can move on, even with pain.

Kuroo was free. Kuroo was free and he let Bokuto know it fully, with every fiber of the passion he wasn´t able to express until now.

The dreams and nightmares let him sleep, for the first time in so many years Kuroo lost the count.

When the morning came, he saw him naked under the misty skies with snowflakes falling. Bokuto watched them, tried to catch them one by one, hoping to get a glimpse at their different shapes, adoring their beauty and uniqueness. He smiled at them, bright with love and passion burning in every fiber of his being.

Kuroo was the one who got the chance to feel that skin on skin, heart to heart, mouth to mouth. He didn´t interrupt his thoughts as he daydreamed about who knows what. Kuroo admired him, believing he might be able to see the world in the same colors as Bokuto did.

Not in the shades of grey, but in the rainbows of pastels and glitter.

He decided to sing, with Bokuto making the same decision. As the first tones came, they gazed at each other, eyes shining. It didn´t take them long to get that harmony right. As they sang, they vibrated together, feeling each other deeply, every song flowing through their veins instead of blood, keeping their souls alive and hearts beating.

“Maybe I will follow you, if you won´t be able to end it,” Kuroo admitted loudly.

“No, you won´t,” Bokuto corrected him. “You became a daydreamer again.”

 

 

Kuroo meant what he said. After Bokuto fell asleep, Kuroo risked it and miraculously shifted from under the weight of his body that got even more muscular than before. He grinned at the sight, trying to focus on the task in front of him.

There was a desperation stitched in his skin. If Bokuto is going to risk everything, Kuroo can try too right?

He inhaled and made a first step into the salty water. Nothing happened, so he continued. There must be a way. He can do it, fight through it. There was nothing else to be had, nothing else to do.

His naked body moved on its own. If he wanted to stop right now, he couldn´t. The determination overwhelmed all of his senses, as did the branches on his arms.

They tightened up, suppressing the blood flow. Kuroo´s hands got numb. The pain wasn´t enough to stop him, he could endure it.

The branches of silver and golden tress shot through the bottom of the sea, catching his feet, letting Kuroo fall down to his knees. The water raised up to his chin, the breath betraying him.

He heaved, not getting enough oxygen. Pearls in his hair changed into pins, hurting him with their sharpness. The blood trickled from his nose, ears and eyes. Kuroo saw darkness.

Still, he moved forward. He trusted this was the way - out of the curse, or out of the life.

He didn´t want to, alas, he did.

His body fell down, becoming one with the water. Kuroo Tetsurou was dying with the flashes of faces he once knew in his mind. Kenma greeted him the way he always did, until he didn´t. With a peck, avoiding the eye contact. Tooru stuck out his tongue at him, chuckling at something, being as cute as he could be. Another face came. He didn´t know this one. Whose ghost was it? Kuroo had no memory of a man with shamrock eyes. Or was it blue? No, it was a color of the jungle and blue sky becoming one. “I don´t know you, but I feel like I do.”

“Don´t you dare to leave him alone, Tetsurou.” The celestial looking man warned him, without any malice.

“Ak-“

Another presence was coming, when strong arms curled around him. Bokuto Koutaro picked him up close to his own body, wet skin meeting dry one followed by whispers Kuroo didn´t understand.

 

**31**

 

Bokuto held him so tight he got afraid he might suffocate him. He was surprised how light Kuroo was, which made him worry about breaking this fragile body.

“Stay with me,” he whispered, desperately. “Stay.” He put down in the sand the body of his lover, cold and statuesque-like. Bokuto tried to warm him up, kissed him, fiddled with the branches being too tight. They loosened up at the contact and the needles changed back into the pearls.

“It won´t let me go, will it?” Kuroo murmured with a voice full of death.

“I won´t let you go, Kuroo. What were you thinking?” Bokuto trembled, face red, fists clenched and eyes quivering. “I thought I lost you.”

Kuroo tried to grin. “How did you find me?”

Bokuto exhaled. “Nights are too long when I am without you. I woke up, my pillow missing. I knew. I heard something like a song and I just knew.”

“I wanted to follow you, but I can´t.” Kuroo found the energy to stand up. Bokuto helped him to get back to the shelter. “But, I will follow you one day. Until then, think of me.”

“Why are you talking like I´m leaving right now? I´m not, we have a whole week in front of us. Almost.” Bokuto put a strand of his hair behind his ear.

“I know, I will remind you of this every day. Don´t you worry.”

“I don´t.”

 

 

They danced through the days under the sun and made love with the night and three moons in between the lukewarm blizzards. When the snow bit its goodbye, the ice made its first appearance, bringing even more cold to meet the island.

There was no time to question the change of weather.

Kuroo was free of nightmares, which made Bokuto sing with happiness. With the last night coming, it was his turn to twist and shout through the night.

He thought of leaving without saying goodbye, Bokuto was pretty sure he wouldn´t be able to do it properly. That´s what began haunting him through the restless sleep, its peace not coming back for a while.

“You said it yourself. One nightmare doesn´t take away your dreams,” Kuroo whispered as they said another goodbye. “If you believe we got a chance, even a little bit, if one of us can be free, it´s you who can do it. And it doesn´t matter, if after all of it, all of this, we could be together. Do not think about that. If you believe-“ Kuroo didn´t continue. He saw the contemplation in Bokuto´s face. “Or is it gone?”

Bokuto shook his head. “No. You say not to think about the two of us together. It´s impossible. Anytime I think of breaking the curse, for you or me, the only result is us.”

“Okay.” Kuroo agreed. “If that´s what helps you to move forward, then do it. Think of me and promise-“

“To send you a song. I know.” Bokuto kissed him, secrets of appreciation erupting.

“I will send you one back.” Kuroo buried his head into Bokuto´s chest, listening to the heartbeat of a racer, trying to catch Tetsurou´s own beating heart. “You will be sad and you will be lonely. There will be fire and water and wind, but you will think of only me and the ground I am waiting on. Please. I will hear you.”

“I know you will.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

It might have been too soon. Maybe, they were falling in love with one another, not quite there yet. But they _were_ and it was enough.

 

 

And when their heartbeats touched, the tower of flowers blossomed behind them, withstanding any weather condition, the reminder of the connection bonded by the hopes of daydreamers and believers.  

 

**5th part – the Unforgotten and Promised Land of truth and devastation**

 

 

All the places he explored, the cities he peaked at, far from the seas, the maps he was given by the citizens of the deep waters or the high skies. He asked for guidance, neither of those led him to a successful ending. The Promised Land was too far and the time was running up.

Fourth year invaded his mind like a ticking bomb waiting to explode at the most unexpected moment. If he wasn´t going act, they both lose.

Bokuto made a decision that brewed inside of his chest since the first second he realized who Kuroo was and what he meant to him. Now, the potion of deals with the devil was complete.

He docked the ship at the place that cursed him into forever sailor. There was another contract waiting to be made.

“Even after so many years, you haven´t learned,” Tendou Satori, the keeper of death exclaimed as he got out of the cave of blackness and decay.

Bokuto stood at the edge, negotiating. “I haven´t called you yet, how did you-“

“You called me,” Tendou corrected him. “Now, what do you think you have a right to want, my dearie?” Through this sentence, his voice changed the tone at least four times. Bokuto almost expected him to start singing.

“I didn´t call you.”

“I heard your pleas from the moment you decided to visit me for the second time. Not that the first time can be called a visit, right?” Satori smiled with a crooked grin, encompassing the evil he wasn´t.

Bokuto wished to step down to the shore, knowing very well it was impossible. He had another year in front of him, if this being would listen to him and not turn him away. “I-“

“I will not,” Tendou interrupted him.

“What?”

“I could tell you to come back in another year so you can step on the land, but I won´t do that. I don´t care that much about you, not for your well-being, or my fun I could have with it.” Tendou turned to the entrance that got blocked with an even greater presence. His right hand man, as Bokuto understood. “Ushijima, welcome.”

The newcomer nodded, standing quietly behind the shadows.

“I want to change the deal,” Bokuto pleaded. “Hear me out. I know I can´t ask for this, I wasn´t able to find the Promised Land, yet. But, is there a way you could give freedom to a man called Kuroo Tetsurou? He is-“

Tendou disrupted him with a raised hand. “I know who he is. I can´t give him the freedom, but I can make some changes. If you find what I set you up to do, he may walk free, not you. You will stay on the ship forever, taking on the curse bested upon him.”

“I don´t mind,” Bokuto nodded vehemently.

“You said you are unable to find it, so how can you secure it?” Tendou questioned Bokuto´s decisions all the way.

Bokuto exhaled heavily. “If this last year will go on without me breaking the curse, would you merge them?”

“Excuse us?” It was Ushijima who spoke.

“I will stay on the ship as a forever sailor and he will stay with me. Cursed just as before, but not on the island. With me, in here.” Bokuto asked too much, he was sure of it. There was nothing more he could lose.

Tendou turned to Ushijima, exchanging looks of curiosity with brows raised and a smile playing on Satori´s lips. “Fine.” Tendou flicked his right wrist and Ushijima did the same with the left one. “You have a deal. After this year, both of you are either free, or cursed together on that ship. Forever.”

Bokuto wanted to say thank you, when both men disappeared.

 

 

_Ushijima watched new souls coming in. He has asked the question, burning inside of his throat since the moment the forever sailor visited them. “Why don´t you tell him the truth?”_

_“That he already found it?” Tendou twirled. “Please. He will figure it out.”_

_“I am not sure he is that bright. He won´t.”_

_Satori chuckled. “Wakatoshi. He might be silly, but he is not stupid. Besides, he is not alone anymore.”_

**32**

 

Kuroo spread his arms wide, letting the colder wind to recall the feelings of being alive. The weather was changing without signs of slowing down. Years ago, Kuroo would be worried about the meaning of this. Today, he was accepting with every fiber of his. This snow globe was cracking.

The flower tower was the first sign. Kuroo eyeballed it every day. There were so many tangled flowers, he couldn´t tell them apart. When he tried to touch them, something always stopped him. The pastel petals with threads hanging down were calling to him, he wished to make them a part of bigger creation. Kuroo tried to move closer. As his foot moved, metallic branches rose from the ground, limiting him to go on. “Is there any meaning to you?” And with the answer right in front of his eyes not seeing properly, he didn´t care about reaching the flower tower anymore.

He examined the twigs over his body, spread almost everywhere. His lips were pursed, eyes narrowed. What if he´d try again? Could he do it all by himself? Before, the island tried to swallow him. Kuroo stared at his arms with branches instead of veins, the pearls covering his hair almost like a veil, a crown.

Then why did he feel the strength to go on? To try once more. How much pain would he be able to endure this time? Something was happening and this was the only way to find out, if his hunch was right.

Tetsurou walked towards the sea, bracing against the salt around his feet. The pain didn´t come, branches did not try to strangle him, pearls stayed being pearls. Did he manage it? Did Bokuto saved them or was he at the mercy of the island, to widen the boundary Kuroo could move behind? Or was it a trick to get him, once and for all.

Kuroo walked and walked, the water getting higher right under his chin. He got back to the island and tried the other sides, every time going a little further.

This man was free. Kuroo Tetsurou was able to leave this place, but he didn´t.

There was another year waiting in front of him. If Bokuto wasn´t coming back, everything would end with Kuroo moving on without him. That´s what a daydreamer like Bokuto wished for him.

Kuroo smiled at the horizon, knowing Bokuto would come. If he was still safe and sound, they would stand side by side, either here, or on the ship. The songs coming to him through the space and time was the evidence he was there, that he thought of him. Kuroo heard every one of them as he replied with new ones, trusting them to find its recipient.

He spent most of his days watching the tower of flowers waiting for the answer. It was the first new thing growing on this island by itself. In the end, he smiled with a sad eye, closing them.

When the flower moved to wake Kuroo up from his deep, calm sleep, he knew.

 

 

They met on the shore, this time without Bokuto getting lost. They ran to each other, kissing gently at first, then the passion and deepness of the world joined their lips. Bokuto kissed Kuroo´s cheeks and nose, while Kuroo touched his eyelids and bit his ears and neck.

Both men touched so intimately, whispered so tightly and sacredly, they almost dissolved into each other.

“I heard you,” Kuroo said in a hushed voice, both shivering at the sound of those words.

“I listened.” Bokuto put his fingers into Kuroo´s hair, the pearls falling down like a broken chandelier. “What is this?” He asked, both staring at the branches on Kuroo´s hands whittling down.

Kuroo laughed. “I think I am free. I think I was free for a long, long time.”

“And you waited?” Bokuto stepped back, eyes wide. “You shouldn´t have!” He gestured with hands wildly, almost knocking Kuroo on the head.

“Bokuto. Bokuto!” Kuroo grabbed his wrists. “I had to. You would do the same.”

“I would,” Bokuto answered resolutely. “But how?”

“I thought you might have done it. What happened?"

 

**33**

 

This question got answered with a long story full of Bokuto´s reenactments. He had to tell him and show him everything that happened. Still, he was confused. Bokuto got another year to accomplish the task ahead, but Kuroo got free around the same time he made a new pledge. “So what does it mean?”

“I have no idea.” Kuroo hugged him from behind. “If I really can leave, I will. With you.”

“Are you willing to stay with me forever?” Bokuto asked without the usual enthusiasm.

“I am willing to do anything with you forever.” Kuroo added quietly: “But if we are to leave, let´s do it in a week. You deserve your time out and I-“ Kuroo sighed at the sight of this place. “It was my home. It is my home.”

Bokuto agreed. “Let´s go.”

 

 

It was Bokuto´s turn to feel the pull when seven days flew by like a life of a flea. He never left a second before the string called him back to the ship. Seventh day approached, but the pull didn´t.

“I should go,” Bokuto mumbled in confusion, searching around to find a way to make sure he counted the day properly. “It´s not calling me.”

Kuroo, who just woke up, stared at him with the hair even more cluttered than before, while Bokuto´s fell all the way down, partially covering his golden eyes. “Could you tell me word by word and sentence by sentence how the arrangement was done?”

“Believe in me a little!”

“I do, but this changes everything.” Kuroo sat up with his hands crossed. “Are you sure you haven´t found the Promised Land yet? Maybe you went by, maybe-“ Kuroo was stabbed by Bokuto´s questioning eyes. “What?”

Bokuto tilted his head. “That´s why it was so easy,” he murmured. “He changed the deal because there was no deal anymore!” Bokuto jumped up, screaming in excitement. “I was already free because I found the Promised Land!”

“Where?” Kuroo followed him. “This island can´t be the answer, you felt the pull before, right?”

Bokuto´s mood changed in a matter of seconds, shoulders slumped. “I don´t know then.”

Kuroo touched his chin and kissed it. “Let´s go, let´s leave till we can. If we are free, do we really need answers?”

They boarded the ship as fast as they could, Bokuto waving goodbye to the place that gave him everything. Kuroo said goodbye to a place that took everything from him, but cared for him anyway.

The waves carried them away.

“I love you,” Kuroo sang into Bokuto´s ear.

“I love you too,” Bokuto hummed into Kuroo´s chest.

Echoes circled around them, taking the curses away.

 

 

Kuroo´s curse broke not because of the pledge Bokuto made. It broke because someone in this world loved him back fully, even more than any soul or divine being could comprehend. He got what he wished for when he cursed himself to the life of loneliness.

 

Bokuto´s curse broke after the first I love you´s got exchanged and the songs reached each other´s ear even within the longest distance, both ready to go on without each other, accepting their decisions. He found the Promised Land in Kuroo himself.

 

**34**

 

“What if we start a new life amongst other people and find out that whatever we have, is just a result of how lonely we were?” Kuroo asked hidden between the sheets with Bokuto´s limbs hanging over him.

“Didn´t we have this talk already?”

Kuroo kissed his stomach lightly. “Yes, but this time it´s real. Too real.”

“Do you believe so little in us?” Bokuto beamed, playful and innocent, like a child. “I thought you remembered how to dream, right?”

“Right.” Kuroo got up and looked down into Bokuto´s eyes of honesty. “I believe in us.” His voice raised into same heights as Bokuto´s.

They were happy.

“If we mingle with other people and we won´t like them, we won´t engage with them,” Bokuto suggested, rising up to kiss Kuroo´s lips.

“Good, I can agree with that. We can always leave, or never stay at the one place for too long.” Kuroo stood up, stretching, while Bokuto admired the man he fell in love with. His skin so smooth even after so many years in the wilderness, the muscles coming back after eating proper food, glow all around his body, the veins pulsing with a new life.

“What?” Kuroo asked, noticing the admiring gaze.

Bokuto also stood up, both men naked, fragile and vulnerable, also strong and determined. “I think we were supposed to find each other. I don´t think this was meant to be, I don´t believe in that kind of fate, but we were supposed to. I found you at the direst times, for me and for you. I am pretty sure I would find you anywhere and anytime in this world, cursed or not. After all, you were my Promised Land.”

“No,” Kuroo shut the small space between them with his body. “I became the Promised Land after we fell for each other.”

 

 

As they sailed away, the remnants of the island got covered in snow and rainbows with the tower of flowers climbing all over the small piece of earth like the chain keeping the treasure box safe.

 

This place stood there as an archive of their story, the tale of the forever sailor and the man of a noble blood, sending each other songs, sealing their friendship with love and faith and devotion for never ending trust.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for your time. I almost didn´t give them the happy ending (I am usually a sucker for bittersweet stories or endings or both), but I couldn´t. They´ve been through a lot in this story. I choose to believe they sailed together until the end :) 
> 
> I am still not sure if it wakes up the emotions I was going for, if it makes you love them or not. I simply tried to begin with a pain, to continue with hollowness but hope followed up with desire to live again, tied up in a little sparks of faith for something better in their journey further away.
> 
> If you leave any kudos or comments, I would appreciate it very much.
> 
> Thank you again and please, take care of yourself. 
> 
> Part of the poem used (everything else is mine):
> 
>  
> 
> "I´ve always viewed life from the side lines, just watching it passing me by, in the past too afraid to just let go and live, and lately too tired to try." 
> 
> Patricia A. Fleming


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